Intertwined
by FairyTaleLover6
Summary: After seeing the lanterns, Rapunzel returns to her old life in the tower, and Flynn to his old ways. Surprisingly, neither can forget the other and their paths will cross again when they least expect it. AU with echoes of the original fairy tale.
1. Return

**_Intertwined_**

**Chapter 1-Return**

_"There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have been altered."_

_-Nelson Mandela_

Darkness had fallen hours ago when Flynn and Rapunzel finally reached the tower, and he couldn't help but feel a little apprehension at leaving her all by herself in the middle of the night. He glanced at her, but she was staring up at the tower and in the dark he couldn't read her expression. Maybe she was trying to figure out how she'd get back in? He had no idea. "So, I guess this is it," he said. Something felt very final about it, yet the happiness and relief he thought he'd feel at finally being free of her wasn't there. Instead, he felt…the slightest twinge of regret at leaving her here.

She looked over at him now. "I guess so," she said. "You can come up with me, you know, and get your satchel."

He blinked slowly. His satchel, the object that had started this in the first place. "Oh, right." Why did it feel like he'd almost forgotten about it?

Somehow, and he wasn't sure how, but somehow they both made it up to the tower. A tower that had been somewhat strange in the daytime, but was totally eerie at night. And he wondered how she'd stand it there, all by herself. He pondered it when she made him turn around while she found the satchel. He guessed she wanted to keep her hiding place a secret. Well, whatever. It's not like he had any intention of ever coming back here anyway.

Right? He heard the sound of her opening and closing something as she found it, but she soon spoke to him again. "Here you are, Flynn."

He turned around to see her holding out the satchel. "Uh, thanks," he said, and took it from her.

She tried to smile, but it turned out like more of a grimace and she ran her hand over her hair. Then she frowned.

He didn't like her frown. It was akin to a cloud passing over the sun- all the brightness was gone. He found himself wanting to bring the smile back to her face. "What's the matter?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Well, it's my hair," she answered, the frown not leaving her face. "Mother will easily know I've been gone if it stays in this braid."

He hadn't thought of it, but she was right. The braid in her hair was intricately done, with flowers woven in throughout. There was no way she could have done it herself. "Do you want me to help you?" he said, the words coming out before he could stop them.

Her expression immediately brightened. "Would you?"

"Um, sure," he said, feeling incredibly awkward now that he knew what he was about to do. "Just sit down, and I'll….take it out." She sat down obediently, and he stared at the back of her hair, wondering where to start. He decided to start at the bottom, and he began undoing the knot there. He managed to get it out, and then he unbraided it. When he reached the first flower, he held it out to her. Maybe she'd like it. Girls liked flowers, right? "Do you want these?"

She stared at them for a moment, and he noticed that her cheeks were a little pink. Was she warm or….maybe it had to do with the fact that he had his hands on her hair? Oh, he _knew_ this was a bad idea!

"I do," she finally said. "But Mother might find them, and then she'll want to know where I got them."

"Oh, okay," he said. Inwardly he wondered what kind of mother Rapunzel had. She sounded way too overprotective to him. But he said nothing as he continued to work on her hair. He couldn't help but notice how soft and silky it was, yet he didn't let himself think about that too much. Instead he focused on finishing her hair, and he soon did. All seventy feet of it was now out of the braid, and it coiled around the tower. It was beautiful, like there was suddenly a ray of sunlight in the room with them. But he knew he'd never tell her that. "There," he said finally. "I think you're done."

"Thank you," she said, turning to face him.

"You're welcome," he said.

She smiled, and his heartstrings (which he didn't even think he had anymore) felt tugged again. Would she really be okay in the tower all by herself? "So, uh….. you think you'll be all right here?" he asked her. Part of him didn't even know why he was asking this. After all, he did have his crown, and that was all he wanted.

Right?

"Yes, I think so," she said. "I mean, Mother will be home soon, and everything…." She shrugged.

"Does your mother stay in the tower a lot?"

Rapunzel seemed surprised by the question. "Sometimes. But not all the time. Often, she's gone during the day."

"And you're all by yourself?" He didn't like the sound of that one bit.

She nodded nonchalantly. After all, this wasn't anything new to her. He looked almost horrified though, yet she wasn't sure why. "But it's no big deal, really." She gestured toward the frog on her shoulder- at least it looked like a frog to him. Yet she'd insisted it was a chameleon. Whatever. A green thing with a slippery tongue was a green thing with a slippery tongue. All distinctions were superfluous. "I mean, Pascal's here."

Somehow that didn't make him feel much better. What could a frog do to keep her safe? Part of him wanted to stay until morning, just to make sure she was okay. But he wasn't going to. That would be silly. He moved toward the window before he could change his mind again. "Well, bye then," he said awkwardly.

She walked over toward the window as well. "Goodbye, Flynn," she said. "Thanks for everything." She let her hair down, and he guessed that meant he could use it to leave.

"Bye," he said again, and resisted the urge to look at her again.

After all, goodbyes were easier when you never looked back.

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel watched Flynn disappear into the darkness, and then she sighed. She was happy to be home, but part of her would miss being outside. She looked over at Pascal. "Well," she said. "I guess everything's back to normal now."

He chirped and turned blue. She supposed that meant he wasn't happy to be back. "Oh come on, Pascal," she protested. "Mother will be back tomorrow. It's not like I could have stayed out and run off with him or anything." _Besides, he hadn't asked anyway. _But he had offered to undo her hair, which had been rather kind of him and she tried not to think too much about how nice it had felt when he'd touched it.

Pascal just did his imitation of a glare.

"Whatever," she said. "I'm tired and I'm going to bed. It's been a long day."

It_ had _been a long day, she thought when she was finally curled up in bed. But it would be a day that she'd always remember.

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel didn't have a good night. For one, she'd gotten home so late that she hadn't slept nearly enough. For another, when she _had_ slept, her dreams had been haunted by a man with brown hair and hazel eyes- a man that looked like Flynn. But dreaming about him was silly, of course, because he wasn't anything special to her. Right?

Right. With that decision, she pushed him out of her mind and preceded with her normal morning chores. She finished them quickly, and so she decided to do a little baking and knitting.

By mid-morning, she heard a familiar voice calling for her. Mother was back. She thought she'd be happier about that, but she wasn't. She'd forgotten the way Mother made her feel like she was only two feet tall, even though she was now eighteen. And although, she loved her new paints, she didn't like the ribbing that Mother had given her upon her return, about how she'd traveled so far and done so much for her over eighteen years. And not a mention of her birthday. Yet she stood it like she had for her whole life.

The days passed, like they had before, yet she began to notice things that she hadn't before. Like how incredibly quiet it was, and how tiny the tower was. How she longed to leave again. Before, she thought it might be easier to be here now that she'd been outside, but it wasn't. It was even harder because she knew now how wonderful the outside world was. And she realized that she still was waiting for her life to begin.

She flopped down on her bed, and did what she always did when she felt sad or upset: She drew, not even completely conscious of what she was doing. Time passed quickly and hours later, she finally looked at what she drew.

It was a picture of Flynn. It was good too, and it looked just like him. She'd even captured that smug smirk on his face, like he'd just had a private joke at the world's expense. He'd worn that expression since she'd met him, except for a few moments that she'd caught here and there when he'd actually smiled.

She suddenly felt like crying. Her heart ached like she'd lost something precious. Yet that was ridiculous. It's not like she and Flynn were…._anything_. She wasn't even sure she could classify them as friends. Oh, sure, there were a few times when he'd acted friendly to her, but it hadn't been particularly often. Besides, he was long gone now, selling the crown to do whatever it was he'd wanted to do.

Yet she still felt like she'd lost something when she looked at him and for a moment she didn't know why. Yet she soon figured it out. He represented freedom to her, the freedom that she didn't have any more. The freedom she might never have again.

She realized then that she had thought that seeing the lanterns would be enough for her, and she could easily go back to life in the tower.

She'd been wrong.


	2. Retort

**Chapter 2-Retort**

_He went to the tower and called out: Rapunzel, Rapunzel…._

_-"Rapunzel", Brothers Grimm_

As hard as Flynn tried, he just couldn't return to his old life. He found a little place of his own on the edge of Corona, he picked a few pockets, he thought about selling the crown. But it didn't feel the same since he took Rapunzel back to her tower. _Nothing _felt the same.

No matter what he did, he just felt…_off. _Even thieving didn't give him the thrills it used to, and being all alone didn't give him the pleasure he thought it would. Nothing seemed to fix that empty spot inside. So in desperation one day a few weeks after the Lantern Festival, he went to the Snuggly Duckling (the place he took Rapunzel for lunch) and got his usual flip, something that had always made him feel better in the past. Sometimes there was nothing like a good drink to boost your spirits, right? Or at least, you'd forget what you were upset about. That was always a plus, and just what he needed. Maybe if he forgot, he'd be himself again.

As soon as he started drinking though, all the goons started wandering close to him. He noticed how they looked at him, like he'd grown three horns, but he ignored them as best he could and focused on his drink. He thought he was successful until one of the thugs tried to turn him around. He recognized him as Hookhand. "So, Rider," Hookhand said. "Where's the girl?"

He gulped down more of his drink. He needed_ something_ if he was going to have this conversation. He put on his most innocent and clueless expression. It had worked at getting him out of sticky situations many times, and so it was perfect for this encounter. "What girl?" he said gruffly. Of course he knew very well what girl Hookhand was talking about: Rapunzel. Rapunzel, the girl with the big green eyes and long blond hair. And after two days with her, nothing in his world was the same.

Hookhand turned to another thug, one with a big nose. "What girl, he says!" he said quietly.

Big Nose shook his head, though he looked wistful. "Honestly, if I had a girl who looked like that, I wouldn't be here!"

Somewhat irritated now, he turned to them. He knew that she was pretty, but still. They were insinuating that he should be with her for who knows what reason, and he didn't appreciate it. Didn't they know that no one told him what to do? "Do you have something to say to me?"

"Yeah!" Big Nose blurted. "Why'd you ever bring someone that gorgeous_ here_?"

"Why'd you try to get rid of her?" another asked.

Now, why wasn't his face working on them? He knew he'd done it right. "What are you talking about?" he said nonchalantly. "I was just buying her some lunch."

Hookhand shook his head. "Rider," he said. "You are such an idiot."

Okay, he was just mad now. Where did Hookhand get off calling him an idiot? "Excuse me?"

"You are!" he insisted. "Didn't you see how pretty and nice that blond lady was? Why'd you leave her?"

Flynn stood up now, using every inch of his height. Of course, Hookhand still towered over him, but in his haze of frustration he wasn't conscious of it. "For your information," he spat. "That 'blond lady' and I made a deal, and once it was completed, I took her back home. Now, if I were you, I'd back off."

"And if I were _you," _he shot back. "I'd go to her 'home', wherever it is, kiss her good- and_ beg _to have her back."

He sat back down and took another sip. As he did, he came up with the perfect comeback. "Yeah, well, I guess it's a good thing that I'm not an _idiot_ like you then."

XxXxXxXx

Many bruises and punches later, Flynn stumbled out of the pub, musing to himself that for once, he shouldn't have said the clever thing that came out of his mouth. He wasn't sure where to go or what to do, and so he wandered around in a stupor of pain until he found himself at Rapunzel's tower again. Maybe she knew something about medicine? It couldn't hurt to check, right? She_ was _smart…. "Rapunzel?" he called. Nothing. He tried calling her again, louder this time. "Rapunzel?!"

Suddenly her hair came flying down, and he climbed up the tower, though it was significantly harder this time because he'd been beat up. Finally he crawled into the window, and managed to not collapse. His head ached now, and it was worse than any hangover he'd ever had. He groaned, and put his head in his hand. He looked up when he heard a little shriek.

Rapunzel was standing there with a surprised look on her face, like she couldn't believe it was him. "Flynn, why-….?" Her eyes took in his many bruises and she gasped. "Oh, Flynn, what happened to you?" she said, her eyes filing with sympathy.

"Got on the wrong side of a thug's fist?" he joked weakly. He put a hand on one of her chairs. Suddenly, he felt like falling over. She didn't say anything, and so he decided he decided to sit down.

He glanced at her again, just in case she had rules about who can sit in her chairs. But she didn't even smile. Instead, she looked away and started to pace. "Oh, what should I do?" she muttered to herself.

That didn't make any sense. He got the distinct impression that he was missing a few vowels here. "Uh, what was that, Blondie?" he said.

She looked at him hard, and he found her piercing gaze quite un-nerving. "Can I trust you?" she asked seriously.

"Didn't I tell you that was a bad idea?" he said softly. The day he met her, he'd told her that she couldn't trust him. And that actually was the truth. He wasn't trustworthy at all. In fact, his trustworthiness was pretty much on par with a fortune-teller (which was obviously non-existent). However, he _could _predict that something potentially bad could happen if she_ did_ trust him.

She blinked now. "I, I…guess you did," she said. "But I-…." She stopped and looked at him again, this time resolute. "Anyway, how much do you hurt?"

Surprised at the question, he sort of stared at her. Now it was his turn, apparently. "Um…on a scale from one to ten?"

"Yes," she said.

"How about like a thirteen?" he suggested. Actually, maybe it was thirteen times thirteen. Or maybe seven time seven. That was infinity, right? He did feel infinite pain, so it worked. "Maybe 14?" That was a multiple of seven. His teacher at the orphanage would be so proud.

She sighed, then appeared to gather herself. "Okay, Flynn," she said. "Where does it hurt the most?"

He thought about it, then gestured toward his ribs. "Here?"

Rapunzel walked over, picking up her hair as she came closer. "Okay," she said. Then she lifted her hair- almost like she was going to stick it on him. That didn't make any sense. Again.

"Uh, what-cha doing there, Blondie?" he asked her.

"Do you trust _me_?" she asked in return, quite intensely.

He studied her, and thought about every interaction he had with her. He couldn't come with any time when she hadn't been honest. She kept her promise about the satchel, which made her probably the most trustworthy person he'd met in years just by virtue of that alone. "Yeah," he finally said. "I guess I do."

She smiled, and he noticed how it lit up her entire face. "Good," she said. "Then sit down and don't move." He was already sitting, but he didn't correct her. "Seated," he said.

She blinked again. "Right." Ever so gently, she put her hair on his ribs, closed her eyes, and began to sing:

_Flower gleam and glow_

_Let your power shine_

_Make the clock reverse_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_Heal what has been hurt_

_Change the Fates' design_

While she sang, he stared at her, stunned when her hair began to literally glow from the roots of her hair. He watched, bewildered, as the glow spread through the entire length of her hair. And although he prided himself on his intelligence, he had no idea whatsoever what was happening. Why would hair glow? And why would she stick it on him? He looked now at her face, trying to see if there was any hints there, but her eyes were closed so there was no help there, and her forehead wrinkled in concentration as she finished singing.

_Save what has been lost_

_Bring back what once was mine_

_What once was mine _

His eyes were still focused on her when she opened her eyes. He expected her to say something, but instead she gave a sort of shrug. "Feel any better?" she asked.

He opened his mouth to say no, of course he didn't, what was she crazy, then realized that the persistent ache that had been present was gone. Unbelievable. Inconceivable! "Yes," he said in surprise. "How'd you do that?"

She shrugged again. "It's just the hair, Flynn."

He blinked, as if he could understand this by opening his eyes again. "Um….forgive me for sounding stupid, but did you say…your hair _heals_?"

She lifted her hands helplessly. "Yes it sort of does."

Nothing seemed to make any sense right now, and so he did what any normal person would do under the circumstances. He had a very big urge to scream like a girl, so he opened his mouth. But before he could, she was begging him not to. "Don't freak out, Flynn!" she pleaded. "I know it's weird, but just don't…please!"

He forced himself to close his mouth. "Uh…I'm not freaking out, Blondie," he managed to squeak. "Are you? I'm just wondering about….uh…the-…._magical _qualities of your hair." Perfect! "How long has it been doing that?"

She laughed a little, and part of it sounded like relief that he hadn't actually screamed and jumped out the window. "Um…forever?" she said, giving another little shrug. "It's really always been that way, you know." He _didn't_ know, but he said nothing. She sighed, as if the weight of the world (and not the weight of hair) was on her shoulders.

Maybe it was. After all, he didn't know anything about the burden of seventy feet of magical, glowing, healing hair. "Mother says it's a gift that people want and could…." She stopped, and she looked sad. "….like…. exploit me."

Suddenly he felt more than a little amount of sympathy for her. The thought of anyone exploiting her was repulsive to him. But her mother was right when she said there were people out there who would do that. In fact, he knew some of them personally. "So you stay in here?"

She stared at her hands. "So I stay in here." Another little sigh escaped from her. "It's safer, you know."

He did. It was understandable too, but he couldn't help but be a little sorry that she had to live by herself because of fear. "Still, it's got to be lonely," he said gently.

Now she buried her face in her hands, and so he had no idea what she was thinking. But then he heard her talk again. "It is," she whispered.

His heart ached for her, and he suddenly had a idea. Which he proceeded to blurt out without actually thinking. "Well, how would you like it if someone came and visited you?"

She dropped her hands from her face, with a look of confusion. "Who would that be?"

He smiled at her. "Me, of course!"

The faintest hint of a smile made its way to her lips. "I'd like that," she said softly. He thought that was the end of it, so he almost got up to leave. He and the inside of his eyelids had an appointment. But then she looked at him intently. "What really happened to you today?"

Oh no, how was he supposed to respond to that? He couldn't tell her that they'd ganged up on him because he wasn't with her and hadn't kissed her. "Um….nothing," he said evasively. "I just made a crack that I probably shouldn't have." That was sufficiently vague, and covered several thousand of scenarios.

"Really," she said. "What did you say?"

"Um, I called Hookhand an idiot," he muttered.

She looked nonplussed. "Well, that was possibly very stupid of you," she said finally.

He should have been angry at what she said, but all he could do was laugh. She was right, but he'd never expected her to say it. "How do you know?" he said, with a little pout.

"I make it a policy never to insult anyone who could easily squash me," she said. "Besides, Hookhand had a hook. Or didn't you notice that?"

He could make out the slight sarcasm in her tone, and if it was anyone else, he might have wanted to "squash them" as she put it. Yet with Rapunzel, there was something…almost attractive about it. She wasn't a yes girl, which made her different. "No, I noticed it," he said, even though he probably had been in his haze at that point. "But I wanted to have the last word."

"Ah," she said knowingly. "You wanted to win."

He looked at her and grinned, pleased by her answer. "Yeah."

"I see." She bit her lip, and then looked at him again seriously. "You know, Flynn, sometimes you can win but still lose," she said quietly.

Win but lose? Why did it seem like she always talked in riddles? "Explain."

"Take the crown, for instance," she said. "You won that, but at what price? If the guards ever find you, you'll go to prison. You can't have a normal life in Corona. And all that for what? Money?"

"No," he said, somewhat smugly. Money was a nice consolation prize. Besides, most people were annoying anyway. "There's fame too."

"Yes, but fame and money won't ultimately make you happy," she continued. "They won't love you or care about you like family or friends will."

An inkling told him that Rapunzel was right, but he wasn't about to acknowledge it. "How would you know anyway?" he said bitterly. "Your only friend is a _frog_."

Her face looked stricken before she glanced away from him. His conscience pricked him and he knew he should apologize to her. "I didn't mean that," he said. As if that was an apology.

She still wouldn't meet his eyes. Why did it bother him so much? He was Flynn Rider and he didn't care what some weird girl with seventy feet of hair thought anyway!

Yet that was the problem. He did care.

"Yes, Flynn, you did," she said softly. "But it's okay, I forgive you." She looked up at him. Finally. He could see her eyes now, her beautiful, big green eyes…. "It wouldn't bother you so much if you didn't know I was right."

He just stared at her and blinked. Did Rapunzel's magical hair somehow give her psychic powers? "You have more of a conscience than you think," she said, as if he hadn't understood. "And you're not as tough as you act."

He didn't know how to respond to that. Usually he had a thousand witty remarks at his disposable, or even some well-aimed insults. But he couldn't say any of them to Rapunzel. "I see," he said, forcing a small laugh. "And do you read psychology in your spare time, or something?"

"No," she said. "But your act only works on an audience who doesn't see anything else."

"And what do you see?" he asked, not able to resist.

She met his eyes, and he felt like she'd looked into his heart. It was….very disconcerting. "Everything."

He was about to ask her what she meant by that, but she looked up at her clock and gave a little squeal. "You'd better get going, Flynn," she urged. "Mother will be here soon."

"Oh, okay," he said half-heartedly. "But…" Despite everything she'd said, he still really wanted to come back. She intrigued him like no girl ever had.

"But what, Flynn?" she said, somewhat impatiently.

He met her eyes. "Can I still come visit you?"

She looked surprised. "Sure," she said. "If you still want to. During the mornings and early afternoons are usually best."

"Great," he said. "So how about Tuesday?" That was five days from now. Maybe he should have picked a day further from today, but Tuesday sounded good. Why not?

"Fine," she said. "I'll see you then."

He stood up, and walked toward the window. "Okay."

He left soon after that, and he felt a small thrill at the thought that he'd see her again.

A thrill he didn't completely understand.

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel watched him as Flynn went, stunned at what happened. She couldn't believe she'd told him about her hair. Yet when he'd stumbled in, looking completely beaten and exhausted, how could she have done anything else? She had to help him. She had to heal him.

But she was even more surprised that he'd come here at all. Truthfully, she never expected to see him again and she wondered why he'd shown up here. Besides that, she didn't even know if he liked her or not, especially today. He listened to her kindly about her hair, then insulted her about Pascal, saying that her only friend was a frog. Well, Pascal might be her friend, but he was _not_ a frog. Then he wanted to see her again. Could the man just make up his mind already?

Maybe if he made up his mind about her, she could decide exactly what she thought of him. She couldn't decide if she liked him or not. She thought she did, but she didn't know why.

Yet there was one thing she knew for sure: He wasn't as indifferent as he pretended. He felt more than he showed. And he even had a conscious. But that still didn't explain why he'd come back. Maybe, she thought, just maybe Flynn Rider was secretly lonely, and starved for a friend.

Otherwise, why else would he want to spend time with someone like her?

* * *

**AN**: thank you everyone for reading/reviewing! It makes me happy to have such nice reviews :)

CrimsonQueen: Thanks! I'm glad they sound in character to you :)

Wishing4adream: thank you!

imaginationdisney: Thank you very much :) that's really nice!

Sunny: I love your reviews :) they're always so nice. I liked him unbraiding her hair too; i thought the cuteness factor was so great there. and here's the answer to your question. I like the green thing with a slippery tongue too. It's funny! I'm glad you like In the Shadows too. and ITA, poor Rapunzel. Though now things are starting to look up for her.

Guest: I'm glad you like it!

Iseebutterfly: thank you! That's really nice, and I'm glad my writing is easy to read. :)

FL6


	3. Rematch

**Chapter 3-Rematch**

_"Arguments, like men, are often pretenders."_

_-Plato_

Exactly five days later, Flynn woke up early, feeling like today was different for some reason. He rolled on his back, staring at the ceiling, trying to figure out why that was. He must have stared up at the ceiling for at least five minutes, just trying to wake up enough to think. But then it dawned on him that this was his day to see Rapunzel. What time had he said he'd come? He'd said eleven, so he could sleep in late.

Ha. He laughed slightly to himself. That was funny, because it must only be eight-thirty at the latest. So, what was he supposed to do until then? Sleep sounded like a good idea, a _stupendous _idea actually, so he burrowed himself under the covers, deciding a few more winks of sleep would be ideal.

But he couldn't seem to settle down enough to sleep. His brain was going a million miles a minute, thinking about his visit with Rapunzel. He sighed. He felt too weird about this whole thing. Why had he agreed to do this? Seeing a girl with hair longer than her tower? It was beyond strange, into bizarre territory, even. But it struck him then that this was his idea. He'd suggested it because he felt bad that she spent all her life in a tower with nothing but a frog for company.

Oh, why had he reminded himself of that? Now there was no way he could convince himself not to go. He remembered the sympathy he'd felt for when she'd told him about her hair, and he could feel it come up again. She was such a nice and kind girl and deserved better than a frog for a friend.

Rapunzel was pretty too. He imagined her big green eyes, thick blonde hair….

Actually, once he thought about it, she was more than pretty. She was _beautiful_. The goons over at the Snuggly Duckling were right about that. He thought about how pretty she was for a while, and then he got up to get ready. He took his usual care with his appearance, but he found that he stood in front of the mirror for longer than normal because one part of his hair just wouldn't lay right.

After ten minutes, he realized what he was doing. Why did he care so much?

He immediately stopped fiddling with his hair. It was good enough, especially because Rapunzel was just a girl, and she wasn't really anyone special.

Right. Now he had to convince himself of that.

XxXxXxXx

That same morning, Rapunzel got up early and followed her normal routine. That is, until ten-thirty, and then she sat and waited for Flynn. After five minutes, she jumped up and thought about making some coffee. But maybe he didn't like coffee. Then she sat back down again. Then she jumped up. Should she have made something for lunch? But she didn't even know what he liked. Maybe if he wanted lunch she'd figure something out. She sat down with a sigh. This was crazy! All of her anxiety was absolutely _crazy._ She straightened her skirt. Then she fiddled with her hair, and it dawned on her that she was primping. Why was she primping? It's not like he was anyone special to her. Right? She just wanted to look nice...because she always wanted to look nice for her friends. And he was a friend. At least she _thought _he was a friend. She decided they were friendly-ish. So her wanting to look nice could be considered normal and not freakish. Wonderful.

She tried to hold her hands together, but she fiddled with her hair again. Pascal looked at her like she was crazy. She probably was.

But she still waited, almost eagerly for him to come. Soon enough she heard him call for her, and she let her hair down.

Faster than she thought possible, he was inside, his hair looking slightly wind-tousled. It looked adorable to her somehow, and she had an urge to smooth it down. She could feel her cheeks flush a little, but he didn't seem to notice.

"Hello, Rapunzel," he said pleasantly. "How's your day going?"

She immediately had flashbacks to the day they met- when he'd said that same thing. But everything seemed different today. Then he'd been an intruder, and this time he was a friend. _Better now that you're here, _she thought. The tower had been so quiet lately….

Her cheeks heated up again at her thoughts. "It's all right."

"Just all right?" he said. Was there a hint of concern in his voice? "What'd you do?"

"Oh, I got up at the normal time, did my chores, read a book," she answered. "Painted a little, played guitar...did a little knitting..."

He stared at her, obviously shocked. "You did all that before..." he glanced at her clock. "eleven-fifteen?"

"Of course," she said absently. "It's what I normally do before lunch." It occurred to her that maybe it sounded like a lot to him, but it wasn't. She'd be bored stiff if she cut out any of her daily activities.

"So what do you do after you eat?"he said.

She thought about it briefly. "It really depends on the day. Today I was going to bake some cookies, sketch, and work on a dress that I'm sewing." _Brush my hair, which will take hours... _"What do you do each day?" she asked him, realizing that she was babbling on and on about herself and he could be getting bored.

He half-laughed. "Sleep, pick a few pockets, sleep some more..."

Pick pockets? Something didn't make any sense to her. Why would he do that if he'd sold the crown? "Why?"

He looked at her, incredulous. "Because sleeping is sort of a necessity in life?"

"No," she said patiently. "Why pick pockets?"

"Because I need money for food, and I need food to live?" he offered.

She still didn't understand. "Why don't you just sell the crown? Wasn't that kind of the point?"

Immediately he looked away from her, down at his hands. His reaction shocked her and she immediately apologized. She hadn't wanted to make him upset, she never did. But she could remember his dogged determination to get the crown from her and how she'd had to twist his arm to get him to take her to the lanterns. "I'm sorry," she said. "But don't you remember who badly you wanted it?"

He continued to stare at his hands. She followed his gaze, and she felt that now-familiar heat in her cheeks. "I know," he said, almost to himself. "It's so strange. But since I met-…." He suddenly broke off, as if he realized she was there. She watched as his invisible defensive walls went back up again.

It frustrated her for reasons she couldn't explain.

XxXxXxXx

Flynn didn't know what it was about Rapunzel. Maybe it was just the complete kindness he saw in her eyes. Maybe it was something about her innocent charm. He didn't know. But he'd been on the verge of telling her that he didn't know what to do about the crown because he met her. Something felt….wrong about selling it, and so it still was hidden under his bed. He wasn't going to tell her. That was way too revealing for him, and he decided to change the subject to her now. "Anyway," he said with a voice that made it clear the subject was closed. "So I have a question for you." He decided to ask her about that whole "everything" bit she'd said the last time he'd seen her.

She blinked several times. Probably the quick change had surprised her. "Um…yes?"

"Well, I want to ask you something about what you said the last time I saw you," he said.

"Um…yes?"she said again.

"I asked you what you saw, and you said everything," he said. "What did you mean by that?"

The confused look left her face, and she let out a little laugh. "Trust me, you don't want to know."

His curiosity went up a hundred percent instantly. He could guarantee that if she thought he didn't want to know, he completely did. "Oh, yes, I do."

She shook her head. "No, you don't."

"Yes, I do," he said. She opened her mouth to protest again, but he wouldn't hear it. "Come on. You can't say something like that and not clarify it."

She sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll tell you," she said, giving in. "But you're not going to like it."

He probably wouldn't. He still wanted to know, though. "Let me be the judge of that."

"Okay," she said. "Well, for starters, sometimes I highly doubt that Flynn is really your name."

He pretended to be wounded. He clutched his chest and slumped into a chair. "What?" he said. "You hurt me, Rapunzel."

She continued talking as if he hadn't said anything, but she sat down too with her arms crossed. "Maybe it's Michael. Or George." She shrugged, waving her hands in the air carelessly. "I don't know. But Flynn Rider just seems too perfect a name for a thief for you to be born with it."

How did she know this stuff? When she said she saw everything, she wasn't kidding! "How do you know?" he challenged. "Maybe my mother had psychic powers or something." But his mother hadn't. She'd called him Eugene. Eugene, for heaven's sake. What kind of thief name was that? What would people say, watch out for the rogue Eugene?

No. Not a chance. So he changed his name to Flynn, and since then everybody'd believed him. Well, except Rapunzel, that is. And she was _still_ talking.

"Which," she said, "leads me to believe that Flynn Rider is probably some persona you conjured up in your head."

She was so right on it was scary, but he wasn't about to let her know that. "You must have a very big imagination to come up with all this," he informed her flatly.

"And so that's why I said that your act only works on an audience who can't see through it," she concluded.

"And you can," he said impassively.

"Obviously," she said, equally impassively. "And you know something?"

He had a feeling she was going to tell him, even if he had heard enough. "No, what?"

"I think that deep down you're insecure," she said, looking at him seriously. "And really really lonely."

Lonely? Him? He wasn't even insecure ever. "And what makes you think that?" he said with a cocky smirk.

"Well," she said hesitantly. "Why else would you be here…with me?"

The smirk vanished off his face. There was a note of….self-deprecation in her voice and he didn't like it. She said it like no one should like her. Why could she possibly think that? Sure, she was a little quirky, but she was nice. Even though he didn't like anything she had to say, she probably told him all this because she cared. "Why would you say that?"

"Because I'm strange," she said. "I have seventy feet of hair. Who would want to be with me?"

He would, even if she told him his faults alphabetically. At least she did it kindly.

Well, sort of. "I don't think that's the right question," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "No?"

"No," he said. "The question is who _wouldn't_ want to be with you."

She stared at him in surprise, unable to speak. "How can you say that?" she said softly. "All I do is tell you how wrong you are. Why do you keep coming back?"

He leaned forward, so close that he could kiss her if he wanted to. Which he didn't, of course- because _that _would be crazy. And ridiculous, even if she _was_ rather pretty…. "Because you're special," he said, and he found that he meant it. "And I like being with you."

He saw how her lips turned up slightly in a smile, as if he was the first person to tell her that. Maybe he was. Could that be possible? "I don't know why you would," she said. "Mother can't seem to stand me half the time…" the last was said in a mutter, but he still made it out. "But I still feel like I should somehow make it up to you. I'm right about all this, of course, but I could say it better," she said. "So how about I do something for you?"

He laughed. "Like what?"

"Oh, I don't know," she said, shrugging. Then she gave him a glance over and her expression brightened. "How about I make a new vest for you?"

He glanced down. Nothing seemed wrong with his current one. "What's the matter with the one I have?"

"Nothing," she said hastily. "But I just thought that you might want a new one."

"Oh…okay," he said slowly. "I mean, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have another one." She was going to….sew him a vest?

"Not at all," she said. She jumped up. "I'll be right back."

"Okay…" He watched her go, wondering what she was up to. But she soon came back with a measuring tape around her neck and a pile of different colored cloths in her arms. She put them on a chair, and walked over to him. "Okay, Flynn," she said. "I'm ready."

"Ready for what?"

She laughed a little. "To measure you, of course! You don't think I could just guess, do you?"

He blinked. "No, I guess not." But he didn't know how he'd know. His knowledge of -seamery, seamstressry?- Was very limited.

She began measuring him, muttering to herself, and finished with his waist. He noticed that she frowned. "Is there a problem?"

"Hmm?" she said distractedly, chewing her lip. "Oh, no…it's just you're really skinny, Flynn. Do you get enough to eat?"

"Of course I-…." He began telling her, but then his stomach growled. He hadn't eaten breakfast. He never ate breakfast, actually. It often wasn't worth the hunt fo scraps.

She seemed to find that funny. "So I guess that's a no," she said with a smile. "I think I'm going to make you lunch when you come."

"You don't have to," he said quickly.

"I'm not going to let you starve," she said, laughing slightly. "Besides, I have to eat too anyway. It's no problem."

"But-..." he began to protest again, but she wouldn't have it.

"Come on," she said. "When I say it's no problem, I mean it."

"I don't want to inconvenience you," he said stiffly.

"It's no inconvenience," she said, sounding mildly irritated. "What _is_ an inconvenience is this conversation." Then she shook her head. "Honestly, Flynn. Would it kill you to accept my help?"

"Yep," he said cheekily. "And I'm too young-" _and handsome_, he added in his head. "To die."

"Well, I can guarantee you'll speed that up if you don't eat enough," she retorted. "You'll starve to death." Suddenly her expression changed and she got up, heading for the stove. She hummed to herself as she started taking out ingredients and mixing them up in a pot.

"Uh...what are you doing?" he asked in curiosity. He didn't understand her. She was annoyed, and then she was….humming? When he was mad, he wanted to throw something, not sing an aria.

She looked at him innocently. "I'm making lunch because I'm hungry." She stirred her mixture as she continued to talk. "I mean, I know _you're _not, of course, but this is when I usually eat." She sprinkled something into the pot. "So don't mind me while I cook."

She continued to hum again, and he watched her as she did. She was….cute when she cooked. Pascal eventually joined her too, and he heard her talk to him quietly. "Doesn't this smell good, Pascal?" She breathed in deeply. "Mmhhhmm. I can't wait to have some." She giggled a little, and then she whispered something to him that he couldn't quite make out. But he had a feeling he was the punch line. Something about the twinkle in her eye, and the bright yellow color of her frog gave him that impression. Eventually she finished whatever she was making, and took out a bowl and spoon and ladled it into her bowl. Then she joined him at the table and smiled. "Don't mind me while I eat."

Once she started her meal, he could smell her soup and it made his mouth water. He _was _hungry. Really hungry. Actually, he was ravenous. Whatever she'd made looked completely delicious.

She looked up at him and smiled again, almost as if she'd read his thoughts. "Are you hungry, Flynn?"

It dawned on him that she'd done all this on purpose. She'd purposefully made some heavenly smelling soup to trick him into feeling hungry and eating her food. How very...crafty of her. "Maybe a little."

She grinned happily, and she got up and filled up a bowl for him too. She handed it to him with a spoon, and sat back down. Then she stared at him, which was vaguely odd. "Why are you staring?"he asked her. He didn't know why she wasn't eating.

"I just want to know how you like it," she said.

He took a sip of it. Immediately, he took another one.

She smiled brightly. "So you liked it?"

He decided to give her the truth, and a smile. "It's delicious."

"Really?" she asked happily.

"Yes," he said. "It's wonderful."

Her whole entire face lit up, and it gave him a little thrill to see her so happy. "Thanks."

As they ate, Flynn and Rapunzel fell into an easy conversation, and he thought that even if Rapunzel was crafty, he liked her. Maybe more than any girl he'd ever met.

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel was enjoying herself too and her conversation with Flynn. She was surprised that she was enjoying herself so much. Yet maybe it was because Flynn actually said kind things about her cooking. There was something…._nice_ about somebody appreciating her work. Mother never did. She took it for granted, like Rapunzel would always make dinner for her, would always clean up after her, and sing for her.

There was nothing more frustrating than being taken for granted, except maybe living in a tower with only a chameleon for company. She sighed. She'd never thought it before her birthday, but her life was sort of depressing. It made her want to go and paint a really sad painting.

Suddenly she noticed that Flynn was staring at her. "What?" she said. "Why are you staring at me?"

He blinked several times. "Sorry," he said. "You just look upset about something."

She was, and something inside her felt touched that he noticed. "I guess I am…"

He didn't look surprised, but he smiled kindly at her. "Do you want to tell me?"

"It's just….you're right," she said honestly. She sighed. "It is really lonely living here."

He was quiet for a moment, but then he smiled at her again. His smile did something to her. It made her feel….happy somehow. Less alone in the world. "Well," he said slowly. "You know, that is the point."

"Excuse me?" she asked in confusion.

"Of me being here?" He laughed. "The point is to make you feel less lonely."

"Oh, right," she said, and was finally able to return his smile. "That's really sweet of you. And you know…I appreciate you coming here."

He leaned in and winked at her. Her stomach flipped. Was she sick? "Just don't tell anybody, okay?" he said. "My reputation would be ruined."

She giggled. It was a loud and squeaky sound. Was something wrong with her voice now too, along with her stomach? It tossed again, and she hoped she wasn't getting some deadly disease. "Well, we couldn't have that, could we?" she teased.

"Nope," he said. Then he glanced up at the clock and he stood up. "Anyway, I should get going."

The smile slipped off her face. "Really?" She found that she wasn't ready for him to go yet.

But he headed to the window, and she moved toward it as well. "Yeah, but I'll see you in a week, okay?"

"Okay," she said, trying to sound surer of herself.

"Great," he said with another smile. "Take care of yourself."

She took that as a cue to let her hair down. "You too," she said faintly. As she watched him go, she knew she'd seen one of his smirks.

She'd miss that smirk until she saw him again.

XxXxXxXx

Soon after Flynn left, Mother returned and thoughts of his cute smirk flew out of her mind. Mother had that effect on her, especially when Mother complained that the tower was too messy. She couldn't understand it, but she tried to- very hard- when she scrubbed and waxed the floor for the third time. "There, Mother," she said. "How's that?"

She came over. "Let me see," she said. She squinted for two seconds at the floor. "No, I think it needs another coat. But you're doing a good job." She patted her shoulder. "I'm going to take a little rest now, but I'd love some tea when I wake up." Without another word, Mother left for her room.

Rapunzel stared after her and threw the sponge on the floor. Her head soon joined it.

Well, it was official. Her life was so depressing, and she wondered for the millionth time how she'd stood it for so long. Probably because she didn't know anything else.

Now she did, and she was one step away from strangling herself with her own hair.

Thank God Flynn would come again in a week.

* * *

AN: hope you liked the chapter!

Tinkfan-thanks! almost had it ready for tuesday, but not quite. maybe next tuesday I'lll have it up. :)

Tangled4ever- thanks! And I feel pretty confident in saying that I won't abandon this one, because I know everything big that wlll happen and the ending's even done. So hopefully I won't. ;) All the feedback keeps me going too, so thank you!

Ilikeotters-thanks! it's a fun storyline to play with :)

insaneprocrastinator- thank you!

Guest-I love writing his visits :)

imagination-disney-thanks! that's really nice of you.

Umbreon-haha, more of their "fighting". But I think that they are cute when they squabble too. :)


	4. Reluctant

**Chapter 4-Reluctant**

_"Men occasionally stumble across the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened."_

_-Winston Churchill_

During the next two weeks, Rapunzel spent most of the time doing chores, and her miscellaneous activities. She still felt rather lonely, and the times when she used to paint, instead she daydreamed about a certain someone. A certain someone with brown hair and eyes. She told that someone she'd make him a vest. So when she had time, she worked on Flynn's vest (while she also daydreamed about him and his cute smirks that made her heart flutter). It gave her a surprising amount of pleasure, and she was a complete perfectionist about it. If a seam wasn't completely even, she tore it out and re-did it. Consequently, sewing it took a lot longer than it probably should have.

Yet she finished it on a Monday, which seemed perfect, considering he always came on Tuesdays. And on Tuesday, she waited even more impatiently than usual for Flynn to come. He came after an eon, and her heart did a happy flip when she saw him, with his hair tousled like it usually was. It never ceased to be adorable to her.

"Hello Rapunzel," he said with an easy smile.

"Hello," she squeaked. Oh dear. What was wrong with her? It seemed like every single time she saw him her voice turned into a chipmunk's. She'd noticed the same thing the last time he'd come. "So I have something for you."

He grinned at her. Her heart flipped again and she felt slightly nauseous. Had she eaten something bad this morning? "And what's that?"

"I finished your vest," she said brightly. She handed him the bundle and he took it. "Here."

He looked surprised, but not displeased. "Oh thanks!"

Almost as soon as she handed it to him, she felt so nervous. Why was she nervous? She watched him as he unfolded the vest and just stared at it, which did nothing for her confidence. "Do you….like it?" she couldn't help but ask.

He blinked and his face looked like he was somewhere far, far away. Like he was somewhere inside his head, someplace she couldn't reach. "Flynn?" she said louder. She was starting to get concerned about him.

"Huh?" he said, finally looking at her.

"Do you like it?" she said again, enunciating each word clearly and slowly.

He glanced down at the vest, then back at her. "Yes, of course, Rapunzel," he said, sounding slightly more normal now. "You did a great job."

She was too familiar with his facial expressions to believe that was all. But she was pleased that he liked it. "Then what's the matter?"

"It's just…," he said, trying to find the words. "No one's….no one's ever…"

She immediately understood what he was saying: no one had ever done something like this for him. Her heart ached for him, and she almost reached out to him. But she stopped, and her arm dropped to her side. What other pain did he have that he didn't tell anyone? "I was happy to do it, Flynn," she said.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome," she whispered. Her heart felt…something then, as if an invisible string was tied from his to hers, almost like their two hearts were being knit together. Did he feel it like she did?

He looked at her then, with…something in his eyes. She wasn't sure she could name it. But it seemed almost like tenderness, like she mattered to him. But she had to blink then, and when she opened her eyes again it was gone.

Instead he was grinning crookedly at her, all traces of any seriousness completely gone. "So, what's for lunch?"

She made herself smile. The last time he'd come, she made him something to eat again. "What do you want?"

"Well, what were you going to make?"

She cocked her head thoughtfully. "I don't know," she said. "Whatever comes to me."

"But what if nothing comes to you?"

"It will," she said.

To his surprise, something did. She felt like making omelets, and they were absolutely amazing. But even as they were eating the most delectable omelets he'd ever had, he caught a sad look on her face and he wondered why. No one who ate omelets from heaven couldn't look sad. So he had to ask her about it. "Are you okay?"

She blinked and smiled, but he could tell that it wasn't genuine. It didn't go to her eyes. Her most pretty smiles always went to her eyes. "Of course I'm okay."

"No, you're not," he said. "Anyone who eats this good of an omelet can't look forlorn."

She looked at him questioningly. "I look forlorn?"

"Yeah," he said. "You know, sad. Upset. Depressed…"

"I know what forlorn means," she said patiently. "And I'm not forlorn."

"Okay." Right. And he was a prince too. She was forlorn because she realized how awful living in a tower was. And he suddenly had an idea. "So I have a question for you."

"Go ahead."

"Do you trust me?" he said, hoping that didn't sound too stupid.

She stared at him for a minute before answering. "Yes."

She trusted him. Why did that make him so happy? "So are you sure you never want to go outside again, you know, with me?" he asked her. She said nothing, her eyes to the floor. "I wouldn't ever let anything happen to you," he said reassuringly. He wouldn't either. He'd protect her, not matter what. She stared down at her hands. "Rapunzel?"

She didn't meet his eyes, but he heard her speak softly. "I know you wouldn't."

His spirits lifted. "So what's the matter?"

She sighed deeply. "My mother," she said. "I don't know how I could sneak out again."

He blinked. Why couldn't he have thought of that? "Oh. Well, if we figured out something, where would you like to go?"

"Anywhere," she said earnestly. "Anywhere!" Then she smiled, a true one this time. "But I wouldn't mind going to the pub with those nice men."

He nearly choked at that. The thugs who beat him up _nice_ men? Surely she was too good to be true….and probably the nicest girl he knew. "You mean the Snuggly Duckling?"

Her eyes brightened. "Yes!" she exclaimed. "Could we go there?"

She looked so excited that he didn't feel that he could deny her. Besides, at the very least, it would get her out of her tower. "I guess so," he said slowly. "But you should know that they don't….like me very much."

Her face was thoughtful. "Well, I don't think they'll do anything to you…." she said. "They like me, and I'll protect you with my pan if they try anything."

He would have laughed if he hadn't known that she was completely serious. Protect her with her pan! That was a good one."Thank you," he said soberly. "But you might want to come up with a contingency plan."

"Hmmm…" she said slowly. "I guess I can do the chandelier again." She shook her head briskly. "I think that will work."

He was less certain, but he wanted her to be happy and he didn't want to say no. "Okay," he said. "Well, I guess…we could go…_sometime_." Sometime was sufficiently vague, but it might work on her.

"Like maybe Tuesday or the next one?"

Yeah. That_ didn't _work. But maybe if he told her when he'd manage to talk her out of it. Right now, however, he needed to think of something else to talk about. "So I have a question for you. What would you be doing right this second if I wasn't here?"

She cocked her head sideways thoughtfully. "I don't know, maybe do a little ballet?"

"Waltzing?" he said, sort of joking.

She looked curious and he realized that she didn't know what he meant. "No," she said. "What's that?"

"Well, it's a dance that you do with a..." he trailed off. "Why don't I just show you?"That would get her mind off of the Snuggly Duckling, for sure.

"Show me?"

"Yes," he said. "You waltz with a partner."

"Oh, okay," she said, smiling. "Show me then."

He stood up and gave an exaggerated bow. "Milady?" he said, holding out his hand.

She giggled. "Why thank you, kind sir." She took his hand, and he cautiously put his arm around her. It was how you waltzed, but he wanted to make sure she didn't mind. He'd never really touched her before. Her cheeks turned a little pink, but other than that she seemed fine. He decided to proceed with the lesson and told her how to waltz. She stumbled around at first and she stepped on his toes more than once. He may or may not have stepped on hers once too, but he was simply out of practice. It had been years since his mother had taught him how to waltz…

But he pushed that out of his mind, and focused on teaching Rapunzel. After his toes got sufficiently numb, she actually started to get the hang of it. And that's when he let his guard down. He allowed himself to think about dancing with her, enjoy having her in his arms, holding her small hand in his. They waltzed around the room, and he thought how fun it was to dance with her. She was actually very graceful, and she was smiling up at him, simple kindness in her eyes. But Rapunzel's cheeks were rosy pink, and he realized again how close he was holding her. Something felt off with his head then too, almost like he'd stood up too fast. It was strange. What was wrong with him?

After another round, she looked completely flushed. "Is it normal," she said, "to feel...dizzy when you waltz?"

Ah, so she felt it too. Did she feel like there was only air in her head? "You mean lightheaded?"

"Yes..."

"Not always," he answered. "But maybe we should stop."

"Okay," she said. Immediately they stopped moving. But he didn't remove his arm from her, and she didn't drop his hand. Instead he looked at her intently, thinking that she looked lovely…and that her face was only inches away. He could very easily close the distance and kiss her, if he wanted to, that is. Did he want to?

"Flynn?"

Her voice cut through his haze. He closed his eyes for a second. "Uh...yes?

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked softly.

With that, he dropped his arm around her waist. "I wasn't," he stammered. "I mean, I don't-…." He smacked himself inwardly. He sounded like an idiot. Where was all his Flynn suaveness?

But she smiled kindly. "It's okay, I just hope there's nothing wrong with my face or anything."

He glanced at her. She looked perfect; her cheeks were a little pink, but it made her look even prettier. Her green eyes stood out and resembled shining emeralds. "Trust me, there's nothing wrong with your face." Oops. That came out much flirtier than he wanted it to. Now his suaveness came back. Naturally!

She didn't seem too offended though. Oh, she blushed profusely, but she wasn't angry. "Um, thanks," she said shyly. She took a step toward the table, glancing away then back at him. "And thanks for teaching me how to dance too."

"You're welcome," he said. He glanced at the clock. Rapunzel told him that he should leave by mid-afternoon to miss her mother, and it was getting close to it. "I should go…." He wanted her to tell him not to, and he wasn't sure why. Was he starting to feel something for her?

"Yes, I guess so…" she said.

He felt a keen sense of disappointment, but he hid it and headed for the window. He gave her a fake smile. "Okay, well, I see you soon, all right?"

She smiled, but something about it didn't look quite right to him. Maybe she didn't want him to go after all, which gave him a small thrill of pleasure. But she still put her hair down, and he said goodbye to her before climbing down the tower.

Yet somehow he felt like today something had changed between them.

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel knew she probably shouldn't, because she needed to do her chores, but she still watched Flynn leave. In her heart, she wished he could have stayed, maybe teach her how to waltz some more. Her cheeks felt hot thinking about it, thinking about the way he'd held her in his arms. It'd felt so…._nice._ His arms were strong, yet impossibly gentle at the same time. And then the way he looked at her…..

It was like she was something special. She shook her head slightly. No, that wasn't quite right. It was like she was something special to _him._ She'd never felt like she was something special to anyone, much less to a- well, the only thing she could think of was a nice, handsome man. Her cheeks heated up, _again._ It seemed like the only thing she did anymore since that day he'd climbed up into her tower was blush. What was wrong with her? It was like she was a love-sick girl or something.

Love?!

She immediately started at that. _Love?_

"Rapunzel!"

But Mother's call interrupted her musings, and she hastily threw her hair down. Using all her strength she pulled Mother up and was immediately subjected to her requests for a good dinner after she had a quick nap.

She tried not to grumble too much when she started cooking, but Pascal heard all of her quarrelling with herself. But she ended up doing what she always did:

She made the meal for her, and even attempted to make conversation with Mother while they ate. But after a few chides that she was mumbling, she gave up. Continuing to talk to Mother was pointless, and she didn't want to deal with it. Instead, she replayed over and over the moment when she and Flynn started to dance.

"Rapunzel!"

She looked up at Mother. "Hmmm?" she said absently. If she imagined it hard enough, she could almost feel his arms around her again.

"This is the fourth time I've called you, Rapunzel," Mother snapped."What's _wrong_ with you today?"

Her face flushed. She realized now that she'd completely zoned out, and she berated herself. She had to be more careful! Mother for sure would know something was going on if she acted distracted. "Nothing, Mother," she stammered. "I'm sorry, I just didn't hear you."

"I asked you if you could sing for me, flower," she said enunciating each word like she was hard of hearing.

"Of course, Mother," she said. "I'd be happy to." Actually, she would have rather daydreamed some more, but Mother was irked enough. She quickly pulled up a stool and put her hair and a brush into Mother's hands. Right now, she wanted to sing quickly, but she made herself slow it down.

"Flower gleam and glow,"she sang, doing her best to sound happy. Or at least not like she was having her teeth pulled. She really tried, and when she finished, she looked up at Mother. "There," she said pleasantly. "Feel better now?"

Mother smiled slightly. "Yes, thank you, flower," she said. "But I'm still tired so I'm going to go to bed now."

She felt relieved. If she went to bed, then she could feel free to daydream.

"But don't forget to clean up," Mother's voice called to her from her room.

She buried her face in her hands. Then again, maybe not.

XxXxXxXx

Flynn was enjoying a pleasant evening, looking at his nice new black vest and thinking about how he'd liked dancing with Rapunzel, when he heard a knock at his door. He immediately frowned. A knock at his door at night could _never_ be a good sign. It could be guards, or axe-murderers or something else equally horrendous. He decided to ignore it.

But then the knocking became pounding and somebody starting yelling. "Rider!"

He recognized the voice, and so he stood up and answered it. It was neither guards nor axe-murderers. He put on his characteristic smirk. It was perfect for his unexpected guest. He shouldn't be too surprised that this person had managed to find him; his location could have leaked down through the Corona thief grapevine. "Well, if it isn't the foxy Fox." The Fox pretty much lived up to his name: he was a sly thief, one that he had worked with on many occasions. He was also a few years older than Flynn and very handsome too. But of course Flynn himself was more so. And he wasn't being arrogant. It wasn't arrogance to be aware of your own virtues. Still, they'd been a great pair together back in the good old days. Hypothetically, anyway, if the definition of "good" meant days fleeing from the law and running from armed guards. But hey, at least they got a lot of money, right?

"And if it isn't the rogue Rider," the Fox said. "How've you been?"

"Oh fine," he answered vaguely. He crossed his arms. "What do you want, Foxy?"

The Fox pretended to look wounded. "You hurt me, Rider," he said. "Can't an old friend visit another?"

Flynn was no man's fool. His instincts told him that this wasn't just a friendly call, and he was _never_ wrong about this sort of thing. "Sure," he said. "But that's not why you're here, is it?"

The Fox dropped the pretense. "No," he said. "I want you to help me with a job."

Now, in most societal norms a job meant "help me fix a roof" or "gee, I could really use your help building a house." But Flynn knew that both he and the Fox functioned in the "thief" realm and that this request meant more like "help me steal something of incomparable value, and oh by the way, watch out for the millions of guards and snarling watchdogs as we do it." Usually something like this piqued his curiosity, made him want to match his wits against those who actually owned the coveted object. But now? He just didn't feel like it. He couldn't explain why, but it didn't appeal to him. Not now, anyway. "No thanks," he said.

The Fox stared at him, immediately dropping into one of his chairs. "What?"

Maybe the Fox had lost his…foxiness. "I said…" he said, enunciating each syllable carefully, as if he were deaf. "No….thanks."

The Fox shook his head. "I heard you, Rider," he said, clearly irked. "But 'no thanks', that's what you're giving me?"

Now he felt annoyance bubbling up in him. He sat down in his other chair with a thud. "Yes, it is," he snapped. "In case you don't remember, I don't owe you anything." And he didn't. The last time they'd stolen something, he'd completely saved the Fox, not the other way around.

The Fox raised an eyebrow at him. "You're seriously telling me no, Rider?" he said. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

"I don't steal anymore," he said. It wasn't completely the truth, but it was a useful lie. He was the _king_ of useful lies. Actually, he was the king of lies really- lies of omission, commission, half-truths, half-lies…. He was really proficient at lying. But the Fox was not particularly good with the whole concept of _no,_ so he prepared to defend himself from the Fox's impromptu fisticuff.

But the Fox threw his head back and laughed hysterically. It was bewhildering. "You're killing me here, Rider. Tell me another joke; I haven't heard nearly enough lately."

"I'm not joking," he said with a straight face. "I just….don't do it anymore." He didn't actually feel like stealing since that day he saw Rapunzel after the Snuggly Duckling. Well, besides necessity that is. He had to eat besides the one meal he got at the tower, right?

The Fox stared at him for a minute, his mouth slightly open. But then he looked at him with a knowing gleam in his eye. "So, who's the girl?"

"Excuse me?" Why such a polite statement came out his mouth he couldn't even begin to say, but maybe Rapunzel was rubbing off on him.

"The second best thief in the kingdom is quitting?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "There's got to be a girl in there somewhere."

He hadn't actually said that he was quitting, just that he didn't steal anymore. He didn't know if he was quitting or not. Besides, _he_ was the best thief in the kingdom. But the Fox seemed in a good mood, despite his refusal, and he wasn't about to jinx it by correcting him. He was lucky that the Fox hadn't used him as a punching bag. He was very apt with his fists when he wanted to be. "No, there's not," he lied. But Rapunzel's emerald eyes flashed in his mind.

The Fox smirked. "Is she pretty? Smart? A little dangerous?"

In truth, Rapunzel was both- pretty _and_ smart…and actually a lot of other positive qualities in addition to that. "Only when she's around a frying pan," he answered without thinking.

"Ha!" he said triumphantly. "I _knew_ there was a girl."

"So what if there is?" he threw back. "What does it matter?"

He shook his head. "Obviously it matters a lot to you," he told Flynn flatly. "_She_ matters a lot to you."

"No, she doesn't," he said. But he immediately realized that she did because he knew how he felt when he lied. Somehow Rapunzel, the girl with all the hair, had started to matter to him. When had that happened? And why hadn't he noticed it?

"Yes, she does," the Fox said. "And she's started to change you too, and you don't even know it."

Okay, that was it. He'd had enough of this. So he stood up and opened the door. "You can think what you want, Fox. I could really care less. But this conversation is over."

Obligingly, the Fox actually left without a fuss, but not without having the last word. "Mark my words, Rider," he said. "She matters to you, and I wouldn't go too long before telling her. A girl special enough to make you stop thieving is bound to be snatched up before too long."

He said nothing, only glared at the Fox, who gave him one last knowing smirk before he left. He slammed the door after him, incredibly irritated now. Where did everyone get off telling him what to do?

Yet part of him couldn't help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, the Fox- and Hookhand back at the Snuggly Duckling- were right.

* * *

AN: I'm really touched by the positive response and interest to this story. It means a lot to me, thank you! I hope you like this chapter :)

tinkfan- I do too. They're pretty cute, just like he is. Haha.

Patpat-I'm glad you like it, and they're might be more action in the next chapter though I can say why *wink*

looly m- thanks! I'm glad you like it.

Emily Snow-glad you like it and I'm glad they sound like themselves! And good rhyme there! :) Thanks!

Umbreon- Hehe, they are.

thanks for reading everyone!


	5. Realization

**Chapter 5-Realization**

_"At first Rapunzel was terribly frightened…" _

_-"Rapunzel", Brothers Grimm_

The next Tuesday, Flynn was calmly on his way to see Rapunzel when he heard something mewing and howling. He planned on ignoring it, like he always did when he heard something mewing and howling, but he couldn't help but think about what she would do. It didn't take long for him to figure it out, considering she had a frog for a pet. She'd probably find whatever animal was whining and take it home. But he wasn't her, so he could just ignore it and meet Rapunzel.

He walked about two steps before stopping and sighing deeply. Oh heck, he thought to himself. He couldn't do that; he'd want her to be happy- which she wouldn't be if she heard that there was a creature that he could have helped but didn't. He usually wanted her to be happy. Which meant he had to save whatever thing was yapping and get it to Rapunzel. Then she could deal with it.

With a grumble and a groan, he walked in the direction of the animal. Soon he found a tiny black cat, who looked like it had a little scratch on its paw. So that explained the incessant yowling. But what was inexplicable was why he took the small cat, shoved it in his pocket, and took it with him. Soon he'd climbed up into the tower, and Rapunzel was standing there with a smile on her face. She looked rather pretty today too. "Hello, Flynn," she greeted him.

"Hello, Rapunzel," he said. "So I have something for you." The cat was stirring around in his pocket, and it was rather uncomfortable.

"Really?" she asked curiously. "What is it?"

"Um, this little furry thing. " He took the cat out of his pocket and handed it to her.

"What's this?" she said, then her eyes lit up. She cuddled the kitty in her arms, and it immediately started purring. Figured. It wouldn't stop crying with him, but then it was happy with her. "Oh, hello kitty!" she cooed. "Aren't you…._cute_!"

He felt like rolling his eyes. Girls. They were all the same. Hand them something furry and purry and they'd immediately start reverting to baby talk. But she was smiling up at him now and it was so infectious he smiled back. She was happy! He'd done something that made her happy! She must like furry things.

"Thank you, Flynn," she said gratefully. "I love her."

He continued to grin at her stupidly. Since she was happy, he was happy. "I knew you would."

"She's so cute," she said, looking at the cat lovingly. For a second, he wished that she'd look at him that way. "I love her eyes. They're such a pretty green."

"Like yours," he said without thinking. He'd thought sometimes that her eyes were some of the prettiest he'd seen.

She looked at him and he noticed that her cheeks turned pink as if she was embarrassed. It was adorable. "Are you saying...my eyes are pretty?" she asked shyly.

"Maybe," he said evasively. "But what are you going to call her?"

"I don't know," she said. "Pascal's name just…came to me." She shrugged. "Maybe this one will too."

He responded without thinking. "Well….you could name her after the lost princess."

Her forehead wrinkled in confusion, and he realized that she had no idea what he was talking about. "The...lost princess?"

"You've never heard the story?" he said. "I thought you would have, considering how tied up she is with the lanterns."

She shrugged again. "Mother doesn't tell me much about things."

"Really?"

"It took me years to get her to tell me that babies didn't actually come from storks."

He had unfortunately taken a sip of coffee and now he almost choked on it. "Why didn't you believe her?"

She stared at him. "Honestly, Flynn," she said, shaking her head. "Do I really look that dumb to you? "

"No, no," he said hastily. "You don't." She didn't look stupid, but she was so innocent. He couldn't be sure what she knew and what she didn't. He gave a little laugh. "But storks is the typical response for adults, not just your mother."

She looked surprised at that. "Really?"

"Yeah," he said, feeling like he should change the subject. He didn't really want to dwell on this. "Anyway, do you want to hear about the lost princess?"

She sat straight up. "Oh yes," she said. "But let me give some milk to Kitty."

He guessed that Kitty was her temporary name for the cat, and he watched as she gave a small dish of milk to the cat, petting her all the while and saying soft things to her. Yet soon she was looking at him, and he kne that was his cue to tell the story.

"It's pretty simple really," he said. "The King and Queen had a little girl about eighteen years ago, someone took her away, her parents send up the lanterns every year hoping she'll see it and come back. The End."

When he had finished the story, her eyes were shiny with tears. Immediately, he felt bad. He hadn't wanted to make her upset, but he was sort of surprised at her intense reaction. "You don't have to cry, Blondie."

"I can't help it," she said brokenly. "It's just so sad!" She started to cry, tears falling down her cheeks, and he felt incredibly helpless. He hated seeing her cry, but he didn't know how to help her- especially since he wasn't sure what had prompted this intense of a reaction. He knew she was sensitive, but this…..this took all that to a whole new level.

Awkwardly, he patted her back. "It'll be okay." Unexpectedly, her fingers reached out and she buried her face in his shirt.

"The poor princess," she sobbed.

Now he felt like he knew what to do. He put his arms around her, and pulled her close. "Shh…." he soothed. "Shh…." Rapunzel didn't immediately stop crying, but he felt better. At least he was doing something to help now. And there was something….nice about holding her like this. He…_.liked_ holding her.

But all too soon she pulled away, and rubbed her eyes. They were red, and now so were her cheeks. She was embarrassed, he thought dumbly, and he realized how close he'd been holding her. He hadn't wanted to embarrass her though, just comfort her. "Uh…I'm sorry," she said. She moved away, and it made something in his chest hurt. "I guess I'm just extra emotional lately."

He didn't believe it for a minute. She wasn't an emotional mess; she was just the sweetest girl in the world. How had he been so lucky as to have met her? "Or maybe you just are extra compassionate," he said.

She looked at him, like the thought had never entered her head. "Thank you," she said softly. But then her face brightened. "But we should do something to help them."

All he wanted to do was pull her back into his arms. But he didn't. "So what would that be?"

She shrugged. "I don't know…try to find her?"

He tried very hard not to laugh. The guards had searched long and hard for the princess, and they hadn't even found a trace of her. "How would we do that?" he said seriously.

She sighed deeply. "I don't know," she repeated slowly. "Maybe we can't do anything."

Her eyes filled with such unfathomable sadness then, and all he wanted to do was bring the smile back to her face. "Hey," he said softly. "How about we do something to cheer you up?"

He saw that some of her normal sparkle came back now, thankfully. "Like what?"

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe go outside?"

Her face immediately brightened. "You mean it?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. Where do you want to go?" As soon as the words came out, he knew what she was going to say.

"The Snuggly Duckling?"

Ugh. He'd rather reenact several horrible chases from his past then go there, but he said he would. He wanted her to be happy, and if this was what it took, he'd do it. "Okay. Let's go."

XxXxXxXx

As soon as Rapunzel touched the ground, she immediately laid on the grass and shut her eyes. She breathed in deeply. "Ahhh…."

The last time it had just annoyed him, but now he couldn't help but smile. She just looked so ecstatic, like she hadn't just been sobbing up in the tower. He knew this would work, he thought in satisfaction. He couldn't help but think she looked cute all sprawled out the way she was. "You sound happy," he commented.

She opened her eyes and smiled. "I am," she said dreamily. "I'd forgotten how wonderful grass feels."

He'd never been a big grass fan himself, but he sat down next to her and felt it. It was nice. Sort of. "Yeah, I guess it is pretty soft."

"It's wonderful," she breathed. She closed her eyes for another moment, enjoying the simple pleasures of grass, but the she sat up. "I guess we should go now; I don't want to not be home when Mother comes back."

He nodded. "Sure, of course." He stood up, then offered his hand to her. She took it gratefully, and he helped her up. But he didn't immediately let go. He thought her hand felt positively perfect there in his. Could that be possible? He looked at her, and he could see that familiar heat in her cheeks.

"Uh…Flynn…" she said hesitantly. "We should…."

He dropped her hand. Stop being stupid, he told himself. "Right," he said, faking a smile. "Got to go, right?"

They walked in a companionable silence after that, but he couldn't help but wish that he was still holding her hand. Once they reached their destination and entered the pub, Big Nose was the first one to see them. "Hey, look it's the blonde lady!" he yelled. All of the other thugs gathered around them, completely ignoring him as if he were invisible, and peppered her with questions. She patiently answered them, though he noticed she didn't mention anything about their deal, his visits, her hair, or her mother.

He sighed. He figured she'd preoccupied for a while, so he went and got himself a flip. He took occasional sips of it, and part of him wished that Rapunzel wasn't so friendly. It wasn't really that fun just sitting here while she was talking to all the goons.

And not talking to him.

"Flynn?"

It was Rapunzel, standing behind him. "Yeah?" he mumbled. He took another long sip of flip.

She sat next to him, and he could feel her eyes on him. "Flynn?" she said, sounding concerned. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he said and turned to look at her. "Why?"

She blinked. "I don't know," she said hesitantly. "You just look like you've lost…" She stopped herself and blinked again. "Anyway," she said brightly. "What are you drinking?"

"Flip," he answered.

"Flip," she repeated thoughtfully. "What's that?"

Lord. She was so innocent, and the last thing he wanted to do was make him like himself. But she looked curious, and so he offered it to her. "Do you want to try it?"

She nodded eagerly, and he handed her the cup. He watched as she took a sip. Her face immediately scrunched up in a face of disgust.

"That's…disgusting!" she sputtered, covering her mouth with her hand. "How do you stand that?"

He laughed. "Lots and lots of practice," he told her. "After a while, you get used to the taste of acid." He sure had. After many nights of drinking, he didn't even notice its sourness.

She wrinkled her nose again. "But why would you want to drink it in the first place?"

He didn't think before he responded, and so it was an honest answer. "Because then you don't feel things?" Not that it was working today, he thought to himself. He still felt rather glum.

Now she was looking at him sympathetically. "I'm sorry, Flynn," she said softly.

Her kindness touched his heart, but he put on his best careless look. "Why are you sorry?" he said, brushing it off. "There's nothing to be_ sorry_ about."

She just stared at him. "I'm not fooled by that," she said slowly. "But we don't have to talk about it anymore." She slid off the stool, and she left and went to talk to the goons again. He just stared at her, wondering what it was about her that she could see through him so well. He'd always prided himself as being a mysterious enigma, but all that seemed to go out the window whenever he was with her.

As he watched Rapunzel interact with the other thugs, Hookhand walked up to him. "So I see you took my advice."

He looked at him. "What?"

He nodded toward Rapunzel. "I see you took my advice and begged until she took you back." He winked. "Or did you just kiss her?"

His face went red. He'd actually thought about it several times, but he never had. Should he? "That," he said, "is none of your business."

Hookhand frowned. "Huh," he said. "That means you haven't." He opened his mouth to protest and make up some wild Flynn story, like he'd kissed her until she swooned, or other such rot. "You haven't, don't even try to lie to me. Well, if I were you I wouldn't want too long." He looked at him seriously.

"And why is that?" he asked dumbly.

Hookhand scoffed. "Why?" he said. "For someone so smart, you can be awfully stupid sometimes."

His face grew even redder at that. _No one_ called him stupid. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he said. "Stop being an idiot, and realize what a great girl she is. There's not a lot of girls left like that in the world, you know."

At that, he found himself standing up again. "And I think_ you_ should know that-…." Suddenly he felt someone tapping his arm. He turned around to snap at whoever it was, until he realized it was Rapunzel. And then the curt remark died on his lips. He couldn't say anything cruel to someone as sweet as her.

"So, how's everything going here?" she asked with a smile.

He found himself smiling back at her. "Not much," he said. "We're just having a nice talk." He heard Hookhand snort behind him, but he ignored it.

"Good," she said. "Well, I came over because I should probably get going before-…"

…her mother came home. "Of course," he said hastily. "Let's go." He thought they were leaving right away, but she said goodbye to almost every single person in the pub before they finally were on their way back to the tower. They didn't say much though, just little side comments here and there. He wondered why, but he let her be alone in her thoughts. He hoped she'd enjoyed herself. He sure hadn't, especially now that Hookhand's words were replaying in his mind over and over, like a really annoying song.

_Stop being an idiot, and realize what a great girl she is….stop being an idiot and realize what a great girl she is…._

"Flynn?"

He realized that Rapunzel was staring at him, which could probably mean that she'd been calling his name more than once. "Yes?"

She gestured up at the tower. "We're here."

He made himself smile. _Stop being such a idiot…._"Oh right."

But his mind was still obsessed with those irritating words of Hookhand's, and so he didn't pay much attention as they made their way up into the tower. When they reached the top, Rapunzel smiled at him. "Would you like some tea or anything?" she asked. "We have a little while before Mother comes home."

"Sure," he said. He watched as she stood up again, and heated up water in a small teapot. She didn't say anything as she did, but he didn't take it personally. Maybe she was just focusing on what she was doing. Besides, soon enough she'd finish it and they'd probably talk again.

And she did. Only a few minutes passed before they both were seated at the table, sipping the tea and making small chit-chatty remarks about their trip to the Snuggly Duckling. She kept saying how much she liked all the people there, but he had to work hard to pretend to agree with her. Yet he wanted to keep her talking. He wasn't quite ready to leave. But all too soon he found that his cup was empty.

She smiled at him as she finished the last of her tea too. "Thank you so much for taking me," she said. "I had a wonderful day!"

Unconsciously, his hand reached out and brushed her cheek. Her cheeks turned slightly pink, but she continued to smile. She was happy. He hadn't wanted to go to the Snuggly Duckling, but she was happy. That made it worth it. "Anytime," he said. He looked into her eyes, and he felt an overwhelming urge to kiss her. He _wanted_ to kiss her, kiss this beautiful and sweet girl, and he finally was going to do it, too. Their faces were close enough that all he had to do was lean in slightly…..

Her beautiful big eyes smiled at him, and he took that as invitation. So he drew close to her and he touched his lips to hers.

Almost instantly, she jumped up and backed away. She stared at him. "I-…," she stammered. "Why did you do that? I mean…I can't-…" Her gaze immediately dropped down to the floor.

He saw the faintest hint of tears in her eyes before she glanced down. As soon as he saw it, he berated himself. He hadn't wanted to make her cry. What had he been _thinking?_ "Why not?"

"I just can't," she said haltingly. "I'm sorry."

He couldn't get over the almost anguish he saw in her face. He was such an idiot. Now he'd probably chased away the closest person he'd had to a friend in years. "Do you want me to go?" he asked her awkwardly.

"Maybe that would be best….." she said, though she didn't look completely happy about it.

She still looked so upset, though, and the last thing he wanted to do was make it worse. So he got up and started toward the window, but he had barely climbed out before she came rushing up to him. "Wait!" she said. "You….you will come back, won't you?"

He couldn't help but feel slightly surprised at that. "You….want me to?" She nodded, staring at her feet. "Okay. I'll see you next week, all right?"

She looked up at him again, but now she was smiling. "Yes!" Her smile was so contagious that he smiled back as he climbed back down the tower.

XxXxXxXx

As Rapunzel watched Flynn go, she felt her mind go a million miles a minute. She couldn't believe he had kissed her! But it had frightened her, she was shocked by it, and Mother's warnings echoed in her mind. "Always beware of men," she'd said to Rapunzel a million times growing up. "If you give them an inch, they'll take a mile. Don't let that happen, Rapunzel!"

So she'd pulled away, partly because the whole idea of kissing someone scared her. What did she know about it? Absolutely nothing, though she could tell he did. That much was obvious from the way he'd touched her cheek. And the look in his eyes….

Well, it was like he thought she was like a rare treasure or something. Like a jewel that he never wanted to lose. It warmed her heart, despite all her mixed feelings. She thought about that for a few minutes, and then she thought about the moment when he kissed her. She felt the same nervousness, but a tiny part of her thought that it'd been….nice. Her cheeks heated up. Good girls probably didn't let men kiss them, though. Did that mean she was a bad girl?

"Rapunzel!"

It was Mother, and she was back. She quickly started toward the window because she had no interest in getting Mother angry at her. But then she glanced around the room before she walked over to the window. She saw the two cups on the table, and she stuck them both in the sink. That way she could say something like she'd used it earlier.

"Rapunzel!"

She threw down her hair, and pulled Mother up. Soon Mother was standing there in front of her, looking grumpy. Wonderful. She could already feel a headache coming on because of her mixed emotions about Flynn, and this wasn't going to help any. "Did something bad happen today, Mother?"she asked kindly.

Mother grunted. "Men," she snapped. "Have I told you lately about how horrible men are?"

Rapunzel took a step backward. Flynn was a man, she thought stupidly. Of course she knew that, but men also meant thugs, ruffians….

How could she have forgotten this? She remembered again why she'd been so hesitant when she'd first met him. Ruffians could hurt her, and use her for her hair. Flynn knew about her hair. What if he was now-….

She immediately slammed those thoughts down. Flynn wouldn't do that, ever. He wouldn't. "No….."

Mother slumped into a chair, putting her face in her hand. "Men are terrible, Rapunzel. You're so lucky you've never meet any."

She immediately looked away. Mother was still completely in the dark about Flynn, and she had no urges to tell her. But something confused her. "What about my father?" she asked boldly. She didn't often ask, but she knew she had to have one. Everyone had one. It was biological impossibility to not have one.

Mother's eyes smoldered at her, but when she spoke her voice was completely calm and even. "Rapunzel, you know that we don't _ever_ talk about your father."

She knew enough to drop the subject. But she couldn't help but wonder who he was and why Mother hated her father so much.

XxXxXxXx

During dinner, Rapunzel was subjected to Mother's endless ranting and ravings about the evils of men. "Men only want to use you, Rapunzel," she told her. "And then they'll throw you away once they're done." She looked at her intently. "You're so lucky you're here in the tower and you've never met any."

Rapunzel had calmly listened to her mother, but she felt confused. Flynn didn't act like that at all. He'd only ever been kind to her, and he didn't act like he wanted to "use and lose" her. He'd acted so concerned that he'd upset her too. So it didn't make any sense. But Mother did know more about the world than she did… Maybe she was wrong. Could she be wrong?

Later, long after Mother had gone to bed, Rapunzel found that she couldn't stop thinking about Flynn. She didn't know how to feel about him anymore, or what they even were now. She had thought they were friends. But friends didn't kiss friends, right? So did that mean they were more than friends? Did he _want_ to be more than friends?

Her thoughts soon took the form of questions with three options, like a quiz:

Did she care about Flynn?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

Did she like the kiss?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

Did she want him to kiss her again?

A. Yes

B. No

C. Maybe

She tried to be honest with herself, and choose a or b, because those were the most definite answers. But she found herself choosing c more than once, mostly because she was so confused about everything. The first question was easy because she knew that she did care about him. In what way, she was still trying to figure out, but she knew that she did, at least as a person and as a friend.

Now she was onto the second question: Did she like the kiss? Did she?

She decided to temporarily put Mother's qualms out her head. Be honest, she told herself, and she soon figured out the answer. She did. It had been completely unexpected, but Flynn wasn't mean about it, like Mother always said. He'd been…gentle. Well, at least for the two seconds that he'd kissed her. He didn't act like he wanted to use her, but rather be close to her. Was that possible or was she just silly? Mother would say that this was somehow her fault because of her flightiness. Maybe Mother was right. She shouldn't encourage his attentions in this way, even if they seemed harmless to her.

So, she was now on the final question. Did she want him to kiss her again? Part of her was very curious to see what it would be like, but the rest decided that it would be best not to.

With that resolved, she snuggled under her covers, and went to sleep, Pascal sleeping on her left and her new little kitty on her right.

XxXxXxXx

That same night, Flynn found it very difficult to sleep, and he knew why: Rapunzel. He'd made her cry, and he'd probably feel awful about that for weeks. But he hadn't wanted to. All he wanted was to kiss her, and he'd convinced himself that she wanted to as well.

Clearly he'd been wrong about that.

He just wasn't sure why, but it could be that she simply didn't like him. He didn't believe that for a minute though. If she hated him, she wouldn't have asked him to come back or made him food and a vest. So maybe he'd scared her. He mentally kicked himself. Of course he'd scared her. What had he been thinking?

That was the problem. He _hadn't _been thinking. He wanted to kiss her, and he did. And although he hated himself for it, he wanted to do it again. The two seconds before she'd jumped up did not constitute a kiss, and his motives- as he was starting to realize- for doing so were completely altruistic because he cared about her. But he also didn't want to scare her again.

Finally he was allowing himself to acknowledge the fact that he had feelings for Rapunzel. Both the Fox and Hookhand were right, he thought begrudgingly. But she was such a wonderful person. He'd never in his whole life met someone as sweet, kind, pretty, and smart as her. If that wasn't enough, she was nice to _everyone_. She was like a girl out of his dreams.

He_ definitely_ had feelings for her. He might even be falling in love with her.

The only question now was did she feel the same way. It would have been easier to figure that out, he thought ruefully, if she hadn't jumped up when he'd kissed her. He knew that she liked him as a person, that much was obvious. But there was the problem with nice girls. You could never be sure if they were nice because they were always nice to everyone, even the people they didn't like, or if they were nice because they truly liked you. He thought that she cared about him, but what if it was just as a friend? What would he do then? Could he make her fall in love with him? Was that even possible?

He sighed. He couldn't think about this anymore. His thoughts were going around in circles, and there was nothing he could really do until he saw her again.

With another sigh, he leaned over and took out the object that was buried beneath his bed:

A well-worn leather satchel.

He opened it up and looked at the crown inside. He still didn't know what to do with it. Should he sell it?

He wondered briefly what Rapunzel would do. She would have never have stolen it in the first place, he knew that for sure. She'd never steal anything. But maybe she'd tell him to return it. Could he do that? In his head he could hear her voice in his head: _money won't care about you like family and friends will_. He was starting to understand what he meant.

But he exhaled loudly now. It was getting too late for this kind of thinking and he was tired. He'd have to figure this out tomorrow.

He shoved the satchel back underneath his bed.

* * *

AN: Thank you all for the very nice reviews! I don't have time right now to respond to them personally, but they mean a lot to me. Thank you :)

I hope you like this chapter!


	6. Reveal

**Chapter 6-Reveal**

_Shall I be good? Shall I not? Shall I change who I am for you?_

_Does your heart feel knit to mine? Do you feel it the way I do?_

Rapunzel didn't have a good seven days after the Snuggly Duckling and Flynn's impromptu kiss. That week passed so slowly for her, and she felt like she was living on the edge of a precipice the entire time. Something had changed between them, she knew that for sure. She wasn't entirely certain about this part, but she felt like a kiss _had_ to change the dynamic between them. Friends didn't kiss friends, she knew that. But now she felt like their whole relationship was up in the air, and it wouldn't be resolved until she saw him again. The uncertainty made her stomach churn, and she tried not to be afraid that she'd lost him somehow.

Besides that, she felt tightness in her chest whenever she thought about him, which ended up being very often because of Kitty. Looking at her reminded her constantly of him, and she wondered how he was doing. He wasn't upset at her, was he? He didn't act like it, but what if he was? What if he didn't even come on Tuesday?

Her heart hurt when she thought that he wouldn't come. She enjoyed his company, she did. She liked being with him, and she'd be sad if he never came back. He said he would be back though. But what if he just said that? What if he didn't mean it and right this minute he was telling some ruffian and thug about her hair?

No. She trusted him, she did. Part of trusting him meant that she believed he wouldn't tell her secret. Yet that week wasn't easy for her at all, and she had to work harder than usual to keep Mother from suspecting that something was different about her life now. Also, she had to keep two animals hidden from her, which was fairly difficult considering Kitty's very loud meow.

She sighed slightly to herself. She _really _needed to come up with a better name than that. Her cute Kitty deserved one, but all the ones she could think of based on her black fur were stupid. Maybe she could call her something about her green eyes though, like Emmy, for Emerald. She nodded a little. She liked it.

After she'd finally decided on the name for her cat on Sunday, Monday came, the day before Flynn would return, and it crept along. She spent quite a bit of her time staring out the window, just wondering what would happen when he saw her again.

XxXxXxXx

Flynn didn't have the best week either. He was finding more and more that he was rather bored. Not with life in general, not at all. But he didn't do much during the days when he didn't see Rapunzel, and he was discovering that he needed some more stimulation. He thought that sitting around doing nothing would be the best thing ever, but it wasn't. It was kind of dull, especially when he'd been so active before.

With all this time on his hands, he found that he sat around his tiny house, thinking about Rapunzel._ Worrying _about Rapunzel, knowing that their relationship wouldn't be the same ever again. They couldn't go back to the way they were, and he couldn't decide if it wanted it to be the same. He was pretty sure he had feelings for her, and so he was glad that he'd kissed her.

Yet he still felt like things hadn't ended right with them last Tuesday, and he hoped she wasn't too upset. But she'd started to cry…._he'd _made her cry. He hoped she felt better. He hoped she was happy Rapunzel again. But he wouldn't know anything about her feelings until he saw her. He found that he….missed her, he missed her smile. He wanted to see her smile.

The days seemed to drag on, but Tuesday finally came (and not too soon in his opinion). He fairly bolted to her tower as soon as possible. He called to her, and she threw down her hair. He quickly climbed up it, and into the tower. "Hello, Rapunzel," he greeted her.

To his relief, she was smiling. Her smile was as pretty as ever. "Hello, Flynn," she said pleasantly. "How've you been?"

_Absolutely horrid worrying that you hated me_, he thought. But he wouldn't say that. He'd say something nice and vague."Oh, not bad. Yourself?"

"Oh, not bad," she answered. Her response was equally vague, and told him nothing about what she was thinking. She proceeded to make little chit-chatty remarks, and he responded accordingly. But he was unsure what was going on. He was relieved that she didn't seem angry at all about last Tuesday, but didn't she remember it? Didn't she remember that he'd kissed her? His pride felt slightly wounded thinking that it was forgettable to her, and consequently he only paid half-attention to her comments about how much she liked her new cat, Emmy. He assumed that was her name. It was nice, he supposed, and intended to highlight the fact that she had green eyes like emeralds. The cat's eyes couldn't be as pretty as Rapunzel's.

He was glad that she liked her cat, but he still felt a little awkward. Rapunzel hadn't mentioned anything about the kiss, even after a half an hour of non-stop talking, and so he knew it was up to him. He felt obligated to do it, just to make sure they were okay, and once she finally stopped gushing about Emmy, he brought it up. "About last week," he said hesitantly. "I'm sorry."

"That's all right," she said quickly. "It's my fault."

Okay, he was just confused now. Wasn't he the one who had kissed her? It's not like she'd grabbed his face and planted one on him. "What?"

She shrugged, her eyes traveling down to the ground. "Mother says I'm too flighty anyway."

He stared at her in surprise. One thing Rapunzel was not was flighty. "How is kissing being flighty?"

She blinked in surprise. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "Only silly, stupid girls let men kiss them."

Flynn had the nagging sensation that time had suddenly warped and now he was in some kind of alternate universe. Oh, sure, some girls were both of the things she said and would kiss anything that wore pants, but Rapunzel wasn't like that at all. She was neither silly nor stupid."What?" he said again.

"You know," she persisted, her cheeks turning red now. "Kissing is bad. If a girl lets a man kiss her, he will take advantage of her."

He felt like staring at her again. Clearly, she had some strange ideas about men. Oh sure, some were like that-and he knew some of them- but not all. "I see," he said finally, attempting to understand her logic. "So you think if I kiss you, I'll 'take advantage of you'?"

Her cheeks turned even redder, but she met his eyes boldly. "Won't you?"

Okay, enough was enough. He really wanted to kiss her now, if only to show her that not all men were scum. It had nothing to with his insane attraction to her, not at all. Oh to heck with it, he thought. Hadn't he already decided that he was likely in love with her? "Don't you think if I was going to do that, I would have done it already?" He walked over and cupped her chin in his hands, stroking her cheek-much like he had the last time. He saw the faintest bit of hesitation in her eyes, and the thought occurred to him that maybe he should just back off. But he couldn't do that. She couldn't keep thinking that he'd take advantage of her, or that kissing was bad. "Flynn…." she said. "I-I…don't…."

"Shhh…" he assured her. Gently he kissed her, hoping she wouldn't pull away this time.

She didn't. He brought his face away, and looked at her. Her eyes were closed, and he was pleased to see no fear in her face, and she didn't look like someone who hated kissing either. He knew it. How could she hate it when he kissed her? "See?" he said softly to her. "Nothing to be scared of."

She opened her eyes and blinked. "Yes, I see, Flynn."

Flynn. She'd called him Flynn. That wasn't his true name, and he suddenly wanted her to know what it really was. "Eugene," he said. He was sick of lying to her. Besides, she knew Flynn wasn't his name anyway. What was the point of continuing the pretense?

She blinked again, surprise evident in her face. "What?"

"Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert," he said again. "It's my real name."

"Eugene," she repeated slowly, a slow smile creeping across her face. Her eyes started to shine, and he could tell how much the truth meant to her. It made up for the humiliation of it. Almost. "That's a nice name."

He felt like laughing. Eugene…a nice name. In his mind, it was the dullest name imaginable. But it sounded rather nice when she said it. "Really?"

"Yes," she said. "It is. It means noble, right?"

He was surprised that she knew that. He was fully aware of what his name meant; his mother made sure of that. Most people had no idea, though. When they heard Eugene, it automatically translated to dork. "Yes, it does."

"So, tell me the story," she said eagerly.

"What?" _Story?_

"Tell me the story," she said. "I want to hear how Eugene became Flynn."

He laughed slightly. "No, you don't. It's sort of…." He shrugged. "It's sort of a downer." That was a slight understatement.

"Oh," she said, frowning thoughtfully. "I'd still like to hear it though."

He sighed. He didn't really want to talk about this, but Rapunzel looked so interested- and she was so kind to even consider hearing his story. It gave him a little thrill that she cared enough to want to know. "Well, my mother died when I was young…." Oh, that was a stupendous start. Unfortunately for her, it went downhill from there. He dared to glance at her.

Her face scrunched up, like she wanted to cry. Like she felt so sad for him that her only reaction was tears. "Oh, that's awful," she said. "I'm so sorry, Eugene."

"Yeah, me too," he said. His mother had been one of the best people he'd known.

She opened her mouth to say something, but then she seemed to reconsider. "What happened then?"

"It was to the orphanage for me," he said. "With all the other _unwanted_ kids." He knew a trace of bitterness had crept into his tone.

But she just looked sad for him. "Oh, Eugene…." She sighed deeply. "But surely there was at least one good thing…"

He assumed that she meant the orphanage. He tried very hard to think of something. "Well, there was this book," he began, somewhat hesitantly.

"A book," she echoed. "What was it?"

"It was called," he said, somewhat getting into it now. He always did like story-telling. Besides, this was his own story. "_The Tales of Flynnigan Rider."_

"Flynnigan Rider," she repeated thoughtfully, and he saw realization dawning in her eyes. Obviously she could see the connection.

"Yeah," he said. "He was this swashbuckling-rogue, the richest man you'd ever met."

"I see," she said. "And so he was a thief too?"

"Actually, no," he answered. Flynnigan_ hadn't_ been a thief. That was something he'd come up with entirely on his own. "He didn't need to do that. He had enough money to do anything, go anywhere,_ be_ anyone he wanted to be."

"And that's what you want," she said knowingly. "You want people to know who you are. You want to be Flynn Rider."

She was completely right…about all of it. How did she know?"Well….yeah," he admitted. "Most people don't want to be a nobody."He hadn't wanted to be a nobody, and even though the only thing that made him _not _one was his infamy, at least it was something.

"No," she said. "But I don't think thieving gave you what you really wanted."

"And what's that?" he asked, not able to resist a smirk.

"Love," she said simply. "I think what you really want is a family, and someone to love you."

The Flynn in him wanted to tell her that she was crazy, that money was enough and better than anything else. Looking for love? Please! But the little orphan Eugene knew that she was right. Growing up alone was awful, and he did want someone to care. Someone that was a lot like Rapunzel. "Maybe you're right," he said slowly. "But who would I be if I wasn't Flynn?"

"You'd be Eugene," she said. "You'd be the nice man that I see every week." Her cheeks turned slightly pink at the compliment.

Nice man…him a _nice _man! "I'm not sure how interesting he is," he said, and looked at her. "But you know something? I haven't told anybody that in years..." Nobody had wanted to know before her.

She was quiet for a moment, obviously thinking about what he said. "I'm honored you felt comfortable enough to tell me, Eugene."

Eugene. It seemed amazing to him that somebody was calling him that, but if anyone would, it would be her. "It's strange to hear that again," he said. "I'm so used to the other name."

She nodded slightly. "That's understandable." She bit her lip, then met his eyes. "But you should know that I like Eugene much better than Flynn."

She liked Eugene. It made him happier than he thought possible that she liked him, the little orphan nobody, more than his thief persona. "You mean it?"

"Of course," she said softly.

He looked at her searchingly and he could see the truth of what she was saying in her eyes. Something stirred in him then, something that bonded his heart to hers, and he had an urge to kiss her again. He leaned forward, and glanced at her hoping she wouldn't say no.

She didn't. She looked a little surprised, but she didn't seem like she was scared either. He might be going back to Eugene, but his thief instinct was very strong- to take what wasn't necessarily his. So he leaned close to her and gently kissed her.

She didn't jump up. So he took her into his arms and continued to kiss her. Yet he eventually stopped, realizing that although she hadn't pulled away she hadn't returned it either, and so he turned it into an embrace. He heard her make a little sound, something that almost sounded like a meow or purr if she was a cat. Then her arms went around him in a hesitant hug. He smiled to himself, glad she wasn't mad, and drew her slightly closer to him. Without thinking, he kissed the top of her head. He realized what he'd done, but he hoped she didn't mind.

She didn't seem to, but all too soon she pulled away. She was smiling though, and it was so contagious that he smiled back. Still, he wanted to make sure she was fine. Even though the kiss was wonderful, he probably shouldn't have done it. What was wrong with him? Well, besides all the usual things, that is. "Okay?"

"Okay," she said. She bit her lip again and looked at him seriously. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he said. "What is it?" He hoped it was something like why can't you leave me alone, or something awful like that.

"What are you going to do with the crown?"

Involuntarily, he stepped backward. That was not what he was expecting at all."That's a weird question to ask, Rapunzel. Why do you want to know?"

"Because I think you should give it back," she said.

Despite his best efforts, he let out a guffaw. "And why should I do that?"

She bit on her lip again, and he could tell that this time it was because she was nervous. "Well, I was thinking," she said hesistantly, "and I feel like you should. I thought it could be the lost princess's crown, and it might be the only thing the King and Queen have left of her."

He studied her, and he could see that she truly believed what she was saying. Somehow the more he looked at her, the more he could believe it too. It _was_ the lost princess's crown, and it could be that it _was_ the only thing that he had of her. Guilt started to hit him then, big time. Maybe he should give it back. Surely with his brain he could figure out a way to do that without getting arrested. "But what about the money?"

"Do what normal people do," she said primly. "Get a job."

Get a job….Ugh. Be tied down to some boring and tedious job…... Flynn was appalled. Eugene was pretty appalled too, yet he could feel Flynn shriveling up and dying within him. "You're going to be the ruin of Flynn, you know," he told her.

She smiled. "That's kind of the plan, _Eugene_," she said, emphasizing his real name.

"A_ job_," he groaned. "What kind of job would I do?"

"I'm not sure….," she said, but then she smiled widely and he knew she thought of something. "How about an investigator or something?"

That didn't actually sound horrible, or boring. Incredible. Yes, he was definitely going to have to write the obituary for Flynn Rider any day now. Should he invite people to witness it? Have a funeral?

He supposed that would be kind of absurd. He was still alive, after all. "You mind find missing persons and things and such?"

"Yes," she said. "I'm sure that work could use your…._particular_ talents. You could hire yourself out or something."

"But nobody would hire Flynn to do that," he argued. "He's no do-gooder."

She laughed, and from what he could tell, it was actually at him. He couldn't decide if he thought it was cute or annoying. Ultimately he decided it was cute. _Everything _about her was cute.

"Of course not, silly," she told him. "But they might hire _Eugene_."

"Eugene," he repeated.

"Yes," she said. "And I'll even make posters for you." She drew out a piece of paper, and immediately started sketching so furiously as if she thought he wasn't even here.

"Uh, Rapunzel…" he began.

"Shh," she said quickly, still drawing. He tried to see what she was doing, but she pulled the paper closer to her. "Be patient, Eugene."

He tried to, but he was really curious. He sat and he found that in attempt to channel his energy, he twiddled his thumbs. Twiddling thumbs didn't really occupy him though, and he thought that it made him ever more bored. Why were people always talking about twiddling thumbs? It was the dullest thing he'd ever done.

Luckily, Rapunzel soon finished whatever she was doing. "Here," she said, handing the piece of paper over to him.

He studied it. There was a small sketch of him with Eugene Fitzhebert in big letters at the top, and in smaller toward the bottom she wrote "I can find whoever you need, whatever you want, for whatever reason, at whichever time."

He looked up at her. The drawing was perfect, even the nose, but the slogan was ridiculous. "So?" she said.

"Well, I think you're the first person in this kingdom who actually can get my nose right," he said, smirking.

She sighed heavily. "Wonderful, that's super helpful," she said sarcastically. "But what do you think of the rest?"

"It's nice…." Nice wasn't the best word, but it adequately described her for doing this for him.

"Nice as in you'll stick it up and help people who ask you?" she said.

She was too good. How did she read him so well? "I don't know, Rapunzel…." That was his polite way of saying no.

Rapunzel looked irritated now. "Look, Eugene," she said huffily. "If I spend time and make twenty more of these posters, the least you can do is put them up and help people who come to you." He just stared at her, and discovered that he was smirking again. She looked rather….adorable when she was irked. Her cheeks grew pink, and her eyes almost…sparkled.

"Why are you smirking at me?" she asked, some of the frustration disappearing.

"You're cute when you're annoyed," he told her.

Her lips twitched, and he could tell that she was trying not to smile. "So not the point, Eugene," she said. "But I assume that means you'll do it."

He sighed heavily. He knew he was about to give in. He wanted her to be happy, and she wouldn't be if he said no. "Fine."

"And you'll give back the crown?"

He sighed deeply. "….yes."

She gave a little squeal. "Good," she said. "I'm so glad, Eugene. You won't regret this."

He made himself smile. "Yeah, I won't…regret this."

He sincerely hoped that she was right.

XxXxXxXx

Eugene didn't expect anyone to react to Rapunzel's posters that he'd hung around the forest. Who would want him to do….anything? Yet close to a week after he'd stuck them up, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it up with a sigh, hoping it wasn't someone horrible. "Can I help you?"

Unexpectedly, the person at the door was the Fox. "Yes, you can," he said, barging in and sitting himself down in his chair.

He rolled his eyes. _Just make yourself at home, why don't you, _he thought sarcastically. "What can I do for you, Foxy?"

"You can help me find a missing person," he said. "His name is Flynn Rider, and he was this great thief."

"Ha-ha," he said weakly. "Good one."

"I'm serious, Flynn," he said. "Or should I say…._Eugene?" _He laughed cynically. "No wonder you changed your name."

_See, Rapunzel_, he thought. _That's why I didn't tell people my name. It just invites too many jokes._ "Did you come over for a reason, besides torturing me?"

"Haha, right," he said, nodding. "I want you to do something for me, and then I'll do something for you."

Eugene laughed. _Quid pro quo_. "And what do you want me to do?"

"I want you to find someone for me," he said.

"Yeah? And who's that?"

"The lost princess."

The lost princess strikes again. "What?" he asked. "Why would you want me to do that?"

The Fox just laughed at him. "Come on, Rider. Don't you know how big the reward for her is?"

"That's _Eu_gene to you," he said. "And yes, I know. It was about 2,500 marks the last I heard." Of course he knew. It involved vast quantities of money, didn't it?

"Well, they doubled it," he said. "After the festival. So it's 5,000 marks."

Eugene stared at the Fox. "Five _thousand_ marks?" If he'd sold the crown, he'd only get about half of that, and he was being generous in his mind. It was a breath-taking amount of money.

"So you'll do it?"

"….yes," he finally said. 2,500 marks! "I feel like it's on the level of looking for the tooth fairy, but I'll look for her."

The Fox beamed. "Excellent."

"But on one condition," he said. "You give me half of the reward and a stipend while I look for her." He needed money to live, before he came into lots of money. Hopefully, anyway.

"I understand wanting part of the reward," he said. "But why a stipend?"

"Let's just say I made an agreement with someone." Rapunzel hadn't made him promise not to steal anymore, but he knew how upset she'd be if he started doing that again. Besides, it was sort of implied in the whole "Eugene get a job" bit. "And I need money to live."

The Fox gave him a knowing look. "Ah, so your girl told you to stop stealing, huh?" he said.

A flicker of annoyance rose up in him at the Fox's know-it-all-ness, and he tried hard to squash it. "Something like that," he said evasively. "Do we have a deal?" He stuck out his hand, waiting for the Fox to take it.

He did, and gave him a short handhake. "Deal," he said. "I'll even give you a generous stipend, because I'm in a good mood."

"Stupendous."

"So what do you want me to do for you?"

He thought of something the minute the Fox had said that, and he had the perfect plan. He could ask the Fox to take back the crown, and accomplish two things at the same time. It would also avoid the whole potential arrest too. Always an up-side. "Wait," he said, then he went into his room, and took the satchel out from under the bed. When he came back to the Fox, he handed it to him. "I want you to take this back to the palace and make sure it gets back to the King and Queen. But you have to swear you won't look in it."

The Fox looked at him questioningly. "That's a strange request."

"Yeah, it probably is," he said. "But that's what I want."

"Well, then that's what I'll do." He briefly nodded at Eugene. "Excellent," he said again. "And you'll get started on the princess?"

"Yes, I will," he answered. "I'll see what I can do." He'd try to figure out something, but where did you start to find a princess that had been lost for eighteen years?

He smiled, apparently pleased. "Great. Well, I'll stop by in a few weeks and see how's it going." He pulled out a few gold coins and dropped them in Eugene's hand. "And here's your stipend."

"Thanks." Those coins would last him a while.

The Fox headed toward the door. "And tell hello to your lady for me," he said, winking.

Eugene just faked a benevolent smile. He would not, but there was no reason to end an odd meeting with an argument. "I will. Bye Fox."

Soon the Fox was finally gone, and he had a chance to think about everything that happened. He had to process this, to figure out what happened. So he was now self-employed as some kind of weird person-finder by the Fox, who wanted to find the lost princess.

He'd be looking for leprechauns any day now.

He slumped into his chair. What had happened to him? Where was the debonair, could care less about anybody else but himself? Where was Flynn? He sighed deeply. That was actually easy to figure out, the answer easily coming to his mind.

Rapunzel.

She changed him, made him want to be a good person, and he knew that she'd be proud of him today- for gaining meaningful and legal employment.

Well, sort of.

He wasn't sure if looking for the lost princess for the _Fox_, of all people, was completely lawful. But it was definitely the most on the level work he'd done in years. He could probably make a lot of money too. 2,500 marks….

Despite himself, he grew a little excited. Vast quantities of money always did that to him. It gave him a certain happy glow.

He dropped his face in his hands. He was still so far from the good and nice man Rapunzel thought he was. Good men weren't addicted to money. Good men probably wouldn't kiss girls, who weren't completely certain about it either. The last time he'd kissed hershe hadn't pulled away, but she hadn't returned the kiss either. So he reluctantly decided at this moment that he wouldn't kiss her anymore unless she wanted to. He cared about her too much now to take advantage of her. He might love her. _Was _he in love with her? Could he be in love with someone after two months?

He didn't know. He thought he wanted to be good, but he shouldn't think about it right now. What he _should_ do was try to figure out how to find the lost princess.

He sighed deeply. What had he gotten himself into now?

* * *

AN: hoped you liked this chapter :) The little bit at the beginning was something I wrote, so that's why there's no citation. I couldn't find a quote that matched this chapter, so I just made one up.

Awesome anime: here you go :)

Patpat: actually when I wrote that I didn't even think about how "hello kitty" sounds, I was just thinking Hi...Kitty. haha. I like your idea about Flynn and the tower and Rapunzel. I wasn't thinking that, but I like it. I can see him being very jealous of her too.

JMet: Here's more of his crazy thought process! I find I can write crazy thought processes for him when I watch too much Gilmore girls. haha. Thanks for reviewing!

Tangled4ever: thank you!

Umbreon: But what would I do if I can't torture them? I mean, what's the point? No, I'm kidding. But without conflict, there is no story :)

Thanks for reading!


	7. Relieve

**Chapter 7-Relieve**

_"Then Rapunzel lost her fear__…."_

_-Rapunzel, Brother Grimm_

Eugene knew that most people wanted a job, because it brought them benefits. Hypothetically, anyway. With a job came money, and Eugene did like money. He guessed that wasn't completely true. He _really _liked money.

The problem was to get that money he had to figure out how to find the lost princess and he didn't know where to start. Where did one start when you had to find a person who'd been missing for eighteen years?

There were only two options that he could think of, and that was after raking his brain for several days (and neither of them were particularly good):

Go find all the names of the guards who'd searched for the princess, and talk to them.

Or go to places where a missing person could be easily hidden: orphanages and the like.

He sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair. Neither of those options particularly appealed to him, the guards because he'd have to come up with one heck of a disguise to even be able to get the list, and the orphanage because who would want to relive the worst times of their life?

He felt like he didn't have much of a choice though. He was hired to look for the lost princess and the Fox would have his head if he didn't.

Probably literally too. He frowned. Maybe he should chuck this whole thing, and run away to Francia.

No, he couldn't do that. The Fox had contacts in like every country, and they'd easily find him. Besides, then he wouldn't be able to see Rapunzel. He preferred a short commute and he was finding more and more that he had it_ bad _for her. He liked being with her, and on days that wasn't Tuesday. He was very tempted to start seeing her more than just the one day a week, and walking all the way from Francia would be a real pain. So maybe he could….marry her and _then _run away to Francia.

He blinked. Where did that thought come from? It was so absurd! Marry someone? Him?

His head started to pound. He really couldn't think about this anymore, but he had a feeling that Rapunzel would tell him that he'd made a commitment to the Fox and he had to live up to his responsibility. And because of that, she wouldn't let him run away.

Lord. She was so good for him. How had he been so lucky as to meet her? She wanted him to be a good person, to be Eugene, and that meant he probably should figure out a way to start looking for the lost princess.

He sighed again, even more deeply. Well, he couldn't very well hope the guards would actually talk to him without giving him a warm present of manacles, so he guessed it was the orphanage for him.

He decided then and there he had two things to look for now: the lost princess.

And his brain.

Because the only way he'd go back to the orphanage was if he'd lost it.

XxXxXxXx

Yet several days later, he was heading toward the orphanage dead in the center of Corona, where he'd spent the worst years of his whole life- years of loneliness, endless teasing, bullying….

As he walked, he couldn't help but wonder why he was doing this. He soon remembered that he could possibly get 2,500 marks out of this, a fair amount of money, but was that enough to make up for the sheer torture of returning? He couldn't decide whether it was or wasn't, but this would be so much easier if a certain someone had come with him.

Namely, Rapunzel.

It was pretty hard to be sad around someone as perpetually perky and happy as she was.

But she wasn't here, and soon enough he was staring at the door of the orphanage. He lifted his hand to knock on the door. Then he dropped it. He couldn't do this, but didn't he have to? He lifted his hand, then dropped it. But before he could bring it up again, someone opened the door, as if they'd sense that he was there and saved him from his own indecision. He recognized the woman immediately- Mrs. O'Grady, the head of the orphanage when he'd been there, and actually one of the few people there who'd been kind to him. If he had to see anyone at this horrible place, he'd prefer it to be her.

Mrs. O'Grady looked positively shocked to see him though. "Why, Eugene Fitzherbert," she exclaimed. "What on earth are you doing here?'

That was an excellent question, he thought. He'd like to know the answer to that question too. "Just decide to stop in and say….hello," he said casually.

She gave him a look, the look he immediately recognized as questioning. The one she'd given him all the times she'd caught him stealing a cookie. What could he say? His thief urges kicked in early. "Well," she said finally. "I'm not sure if I believe that, but it is good to see you, Eugene." She looked at him sideways. "Or, should I say,_ Flynn_?"

Somehow he cringed, knowing that she knew about all his misdeeds. Her disappointment was so obvious to him. "Actually, I went back to Eugene." She continued to look at him skeptically. "So, you can call me Eu-….Eugene," he stammered. "I mean, if you want to."

She sighed deeply, but then she smiled kindly. "Eugene….would you like to come in?"

He nodded, and followed her into the building. He found that he stared at his shoes or the back of Mrs. O'Grady's head the whole time. If he didn't, his eyes would wander all around and all his bad memories would come to his head. He could hear the sound of the children in the orphanage, and it made something in his chest hurt. She kept walking, and he realized that she was going to her office, another place he could easily remember for all the times she'd chewed him out when he'd ended up in trouble. That had happened more often than not,if he was completely honest, and Mrs. O'Grady had constantly chided him to behave better. He almost expected to have a lecture now, especially because he could feel himself shrinking.

Yet when they reached the office, Mrs. O'Grady sat down and gestured for him to do the same. He did, but part of him still felt like he'd gone back in the past and was about ten years old.

Mrs. O'Grady looked pleasant enough, though. Not at all grumpy. "So, what can I help you with, Eugene?" she said. "It's very obvious that you're here for something."

She didn't think he was here for pleasure? Shocking. "You're very astute, Mrs. O'Grady," he said. "And I _do _have something to ask you." He knew how absurd this was going to sound to anyone who was sane. "Do you remember any little girls that were here from at least ten years ago?"

Mrs. O'Grady blinked in surprise, clearly stunned by his question. "Well, I can think of a few, Eugene," she finally said. "But what's this all about?"

He stifled his snort. He couldn't tell her the truth, and he found that it surprisingly bothered him. Probably another result of Rapunzel's influence on him. "I can't tell you, but it's really important."

She sighed again. "You're not in trouble again, are you, Eugene?" He could hear the rest of her sentence in his head-_ You were such a good boy when you came here… _

He smiled honestly at her. "No, I'm not, Mrs. O'Grady. I'm looking for someone for….someone." He kicked himself inwardly. That sounded so stupid, even if it was the truth. "It's perfectly on the level." Sort of. He decided to leave the Fox out of everything entirely.

She looked at him in concern, and he could remember that face from many escapades in his childhood. If this continued, he was going to feel about two feet tall. He already felt at four. He heard her sigh again. "Oh, Eugene," she said softly. "You were such a good boy when you first came here." _Oh, she'd finally said it_, he thought in amusement to himself. He could probably quote the rest of her speeches word by word: _and if you'd only find a good job, you could really make something of yourself._

Whatever that meant.

"I hate to see you mixed up with something illegal," she finished.

She sounded remarkably like Rapunzel now. "Really, Mrs. O'Grady," he said. "What I'm doing _is legal._ Someone hired me to find somebody. And I am."

Her expression brightened and she looked relieved. "Well, that's just wonderful, Eugene. Who are you looking for?"

The Fox would certainly have his head if he told anyone about his search, not that he was stupid enough to tell anyone. He leaned in and gave her his characteristic grin. "I'm afraid that's a secret, Mrs. O'Grady."

She gave him her own grin. "Not completely, Eugene. It's obviously a girl."

He pretended to be appalled. "I suppose it is. Blast. You found me out."

"You know, Eugene," she said thoughtfully. "_That's _what you really need: a good girl. She'd make you give up all that thieving business. For sure."

She was closer to the mark than she knew. Should he tell her about Rapunzel and how he'd most likely given up thieving all together? He vacillated for a minute before deciding he'd tell her. If he did, he'd be spared the rest of her usual lecture about how "good boys can go bad." "Actually, Mrs. O'Grady," he said. "I _did _find a nice girl."

Her face immediately lit up. "Oh, Eugene, I'm so glad! What's her name?"

"Rapunzel."

"A flower name," she said. "That's wonderful. She's pretty, isn't she?"

He found himself smiling, thinking about her beautiful green eyes and silky blonde hair. "She's probably the prettiest girl I've ever seen."

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Eugene," she exclaimed. "Do you think I could meet her someday?"

"Maybe," he said, thinking about Rapunzel's crazy long hair. It'd be hard to get her all the way to town, and Rapunzel was so hesitant about leaving her tower. "I don't know. But she'd like you." She would, too. Rapunzel liked almost everyone.

"Well, I'm sure I'll like her too," she said. She glanced at the little clock on her desk. "Well, as wonderful as seeing you has been, I need to get back to work." She smiled. "Would you like to meet any of the children here? I'm sure they'd love to meet the famous Flynn Rider."

He immediately stood up, and felt his feet twitch to run away. "No, I'm afraid not," he said, knowing even as he said the words that Rapunzel would have encouraged him to stay and see the orphans. But he couldn't. All his feelings were too raw, and it was too hard to do it today. "I have to go. There's….something I need to do."

She didn't look too surprised. "I see," she said. "Well, if you wait a few minutes, I'll try to come up with a list of girls."

"Thank you very much," he said in a polite tone that sounded a lot like Rapunzel.

She smiled a little, and she pulled a piece of paper out and scribbled a few names on it. She handed it to him. "Here, Eugene," she said. He took it and glanced at it. There were about five names on it, none of which he recognized. So they must have left by the time he'd been there. "I'm sorry there isn't more," she said. "But that's a long time..."

"It's fine," he quickly told her. A few names was better than none. "Thank you very much, Mrs. O'Grady."

"You're welcome, Eugene," she said. "Take care of yourself, and say hello to Rapunzel."

He smiled. That was finally one greeting he would definitely pass on. "I will."

XxXxXxXx

When Eugene returned to his house, he read over the list that Mrs. O'Grady gave him.

_Susanna Miller_

_Emily Harris_

_Sarah Peterson_

_Rebecca Anderson _

_Katherine Stevens_

He sighed. What he should do was look for these girls, and find out where they lived and then talk to them. But he didn't feel like doing that right now. He didn't want to think about the lost princess, but rather the girl who _was_ a princess to him:

Rapunzel.

She'd been totally excited when he'd told her about his new job the last time he'd seen her, and she'd said over and over how happy she was that someone was now trying to find the lost princess. Her excitement made him glad. Yet the thing that meant the most to him was when she'd smiled and told him how proud she was of him for doing this. Hearing that had meant the world to him. Did _she _mean the world to him? He was starting to think she did, and he wished she could go with him when he went looking for these girls. It'd be so much more fun to have somebody to talk to. If he had to work, it'd be great to have some fun while he did it.

He doubted that work would be fun, and he decided that in the next few days he'd figure out how to do this. But right now, he wanted to think about happy things, like the fact that he'd see Rapunzel soon.

Yet before he could do that, he heard a knock. He groaned slightly to himself, but he still opened the door.

It was the Fox, no big surprise there. "Fox," he said flatly. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to ask you how your search is going," he said with a smirk.

He felt a rush of irritation. It had been barely two weeks since he got his assignment. How much did the Fox expect him to know? He put on his best blank look. "You think I know something?"

He just laughed. "Well, knowing you as I do, I'm sure you've done something to start looking for her."

Eugene decided to be honest. If he did, Fox would probably leave sooner. "Yes, I have," he said. "I went to the orphanage to see if the head remembered any girls there from at least ten years ago."

The Fox nodded, obviously understanding that he went there because no one knew what had happened to her, and there was a chance- very slim chance- that she'd been in places where children could be lost in anonymity. He realized then that everyone knew what the lost princess looked like though. Maybe this had been a dumb idea.

Yet the Fox didn't dismiss it. "I see. I assume you'll track them down?"

"That's sort of the plan."

"Well, I'm sure that if anybody can, you can," he said.

Eugene felt like he'd couldn't have heard right. That was actually something nice. "Are you giving me a compliment?"

He seemed to consider it for a moment. "Yes, I guess I am."

"Well, thanks," he said.

"Good, I'm glad we talked about this," he said. "Because there's something else I wanted to say."

He didn't feel like there could be anything good coming out of his mouth with an intro like that. "And what's that?"

"Well, it's funny, because I think you could have given something back to the princess," he said. "When you find her."

From the way the Fox's expression, Eugene knew that he had looked, even though he told him not to. He should have seen this coming. "Did you look into the satchel?!"

"Yes," he admitted. "Are you out of your mind, Rider?"

"I don't know," he said airily. "Possibly." He probably was. He _had_ given up lots of money. _Either way, though, it's really none of your business_, he thought. "But part of our deal was that you'd do what I said with the satchel."

"Oh, don't worry," he quickly said. "It's in the castle, somewhere, I think. But you have to admit, handing me that satchel and telling me not to look in it?" He laughed. "Well, it's irresistible."

Eugene felt like he should be mad, and he was a little, but if the situation was reversed, he probably would have looked in it too- and ripped off the crown while he was at it. Any frustration started to ease then."Well, as long as you returned it, I guess there wasn't any harm done."

The Fox stared at him. "Who are you and where's the Flynn I knew?"

Okay, now he was annoyed again. "Do we have to go through this every single time you come here?" he snapped.

"Yes," he retorted. "Because I don't recognize you anymore. It's like you've gone…..good. Like Robin Hood or something."

He was aware that he should take that as some kind of an insult, but he didn't. Rapunzel would be very proud of him. She _wanted_ him to be good. "Well, thanks," he said. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You can take it how you want," he said. "You usually do." Then he headed for the door, but before he did, he threw a coin at him. Instinctively, Eugene caught it. "Here. Get something for that girl of yours. She deserves it."

"Um…thanks. I will," he said in surprise. He'd willing given Eugene money? Really? Maybe he wasn't the only who'd changed. But he immediately liked the idea of giving Rapunzel something. "Bye Fox."

"Bye," he said before disappearing into the night.

After he had gone, Eugene sat down, and turned the coin over in his hand. It was a silver one, and so he could get something really nice for Rapunzel. He just had to find the perfect gift.

He didn't even notice then that not once had he thought of spending that coin on himself.

XxXxXxXx

Back at the tower, Rapunzel felt very pensive, about pretty much everything in her life. She found that since her birthday, she did spend more time staring out her window, just thinking. She thought about her mother, she thought about the tower, she thought about art.

She thought about Eugene.

Actually, she thought about Eugene a lot. She thought about how she liked his smile, his laugh. She liked the way he looked at her. Her mother would be appalled, but she actually liked the way he had held her and kissed her. Would he ever do it again?

She didn't know. But at least she knew that they were friends and on good terms. She frowned to herself in confusion, and she found her thoughts traveling in a familiar swirl.

Were they friends? Were they more than friends? Did he_ want_ to be more than friends?

When she thought about it, and was honest with herself, she knew that he did. Didn't he? Why else would have he kissed her? But he hadn't kissed her in a while, so maybe he didn't like her like that anymore.

She buried her face in her hands. This was so frustrating and she was sick of it. She'd thought about this many times, and she was growing tired of her circular reasoning. She'd see him tomorrow, and until then things could wait. But there was one thought that stuck with her, this time a pleasant one. She felt like Eugene was changing, and it was so exciting for her to watch. It all started the day he came to see her and he told her that he got a job. What was even better to her was that his newfound employment was a result of her posters. The best news to her was that he was now searching for the lost princess. As soon as he'd told her that, she wanted to throw her arms around her and squeal. But she'd held back, unsure if she should do that. He hadn't initiated any contact with her since the day when he'd kissed her, and she felt like he was somehow her fault.

Yet she pushed it out of her mind until the next day. Eugene was coming soon, and she didn't want to freak out for the half an hour before he showed up. Besides, Mother had asked her to do some chores today, and if she hurried, she'd be able to finish it before he arrived. So she put herself in speed mood, and completed her chores about two minutes before he came.

When he came into the tower, he smiled at her. She couldn't help smiling back. "Hello, Eugene," she said, noticing that her heart started to beat faster when she saw him. "How are you?"

"I'm good, Rapunzel," he said. "I have news for you!"

"Really?" she managed to say. "What's that?"

"I have some…" he paused. "Well, I hesitate to call them leads, but some lead-type things for the princess."

She felt a little thrill of excitement. What she wanted more than anything was for the princess to have her parents back. "Oh, that's so exciting, Eugene! Do you know where you might find her?"

He sighed, and sat into a chair. "No," he said. "It's hard to find somebody who's been missing for eighteen years."

"Oh, that's true," she said. "I didn't think of that." She fiddled with her hands, somewhat unsure as to what to say. Maybe she could ask him what he wanted to do while he was here."Is there anything in particular you'd like to do today?"

"Well, what would you_ like_ to do?" he asked her with a grin- his characteristic smile that never ceased to make her heart skip a beat.

She thought about it seriously. If he wasn't here, she might be sketching and that actually sounded really fun. "I feel like drawing something," she said. "But I'm not sure what."

He continued to grin at her. "I have a suggestion."

Her heart beat a little faster because she thought she knew what he was going to say. Although Eugene was growing slightly less egotistical as time went on, she was sure that he thought he'd be a good subject for her to draw. He probably would be too, but her stomach flipped over thinking about it and how she'd be looking at him for a prolonged amount of time. "Yes?"

"Me."

That's what she thought he'd say, and the hair at the back of her neck prickled. "Um okay," she said, despite her better judgment. "Just pick a pose and I'll…um…"

He sat in a relaxed pose, and grinned at her. "Like this?"

"Um yes," she said, fumbling for her sketch pad and pencils. She began her drawing, studying him as she did. She decided to start with his face, and doing that made her think about that kiss. Oh, not the first one, that one had scared her speechless, but the second one. That one was nice. The third one was nicer still, the one when he'd wrapped his arms around her.

But he hadn't kissed her since the week after they went to the Snuggly Duckling, and she couldn't help but wonder why. Did he not like her anymore? Had she made him mad by not necessarily returning his kisses? Maybe he'd only kissed her as a massive joke at her expense or some kind of male bravado thing- like he had to prove that all men weren't morally decrepit. She didn't know. But either way she didn't find it funny. That kiss had _meant _something to her. She wouldn't just kiss someone for no reason, but maybe he did. As she sketched, she thought about bringing it up and she looked at him. He smiled at her when she did, his arms resting on his knees.

She gave him a little smile in return, and started working on his arms. As she did, she couldn't help but wish his arms were somewhere else- like around her waist, holding her close. Maybe even giving her a kiss. Her cheeks went hot just thinking that, and she couldn't help but hear Mother's voice in her head when she told her about men and the licentiousness that could go with it. Her wish certainly qualified as that. Wonderful. So three kisses and now she was turning into a complete wanton.

"Rapunzel?"

She glanced up to see him looking at her in concern. Her cheeks went even redder. Did he know what she was thinking? "What?"

"Are you all right?" he asked. "You seem…uncomfortable about something. Do you want to stop?"

Words bubbled up in her and she blurted them out. "Eugene, why did you kiss me?" As she said it, her cheeks felt blazing hot.

His eyes filled with confusion. "What?"

"Because," she continued. "It meant something to me, and if it was a joke to you, well…"

His face softened, and she saw…_something_ in his eyes. "Rapunzel…."

She knew that she could stop talking now, but she couldn't stop. It's like she had no control over her mouth. "…It wasn't funny and I-…"

He walked over, and took her hands in his. Immediately, all her words completely died in her throat and she didn't even know what she was going to say next. "Eugene…?" she whispered.

"Rapunzel," he said. "I'm sorry. I haven't kissed you since then because I didn't want to make you scared again. I didn't know how you felt about the last one…"

"What if I liked it?" She decided to be brave, and she looked him right in the eyes. "What if I want you to do it again?" she said softly.

He leaned in closer, his hands cupping her face. "Really?"

"Yes."

She saw how he smiled before he kissed her. Her heart soared and she put her arms around his neck. For the first time, she kissed him back. In response, his arms went around her waist and he pulled her close. Mother was wrong, she thought. Kissing wasn't scary or bad. It was _wonderful. _She couldn't help but enjoy it and, by the way Eugene was holding her, she knew he was too. She could feel all her anxieties about this fall off her back, and she could finally breathe easier.

When they finally broke apart, his forehead rested on hers. "I've been wanting to do that again," he said.

"Then why didn't you?" she whispered.

"I didn't want to scare you," he said. He looked at her seriously, and he tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. "I…care about you too much to do that."

Her heart warmed at his words. He cared about her, and she assumed it was a way that wasn't just friendship. "I care about you too," she said.

She saw how a happy smile lit up his whole face and he drew her close in a hug. She eagerly returned it, cautiously resting her head on his shoulder. He didn't seem to mind at all, and she could feel his head rest on hers. They stayed like that for a few moments, and she wished it could be forever. It was just so…_nice _to be held like this.

"You know something?" he said eventually.

"What?" she said quietly.

He drew back to look at her, but he didn't drop his arms. "I am so glad that you hit me with that frying pan."

He was glad she hit him? That didn't make any sense."Why?"

He smiled at her. "Because then I wouldn't have met you, and we wouldn't be here together, like this."

She felt herself smiling back at him. "I'm glad I hit you with the frying pan too."

His eyes crinkled up, and then suddenly he let out a guffaw.

"What are you laughing?" she couldn't help but ask.

He let out another one, that quickly turned into boisterous laughter. "What's so funny?"she said again.

"It's just…," he said between spurts of laughter. "It's just not a very auspicious beginning."

"Maybe not," she said. "But look at us now."

He looked at her tenderly. "Yes….."

Then, he was holding her close again, and she thought about how far they had come as two separate people, and how far she hoped they could go together.

XxXxXxXx

Eugene hugged her again, and he wanted to kiss her once more- and tell her that he was in love with her. Yet he held back, unsure if now was the right time.

His instincts told him that there would be a moment when he knew for sure that he loved her and there would be a moment when he could tell her.

And hopefully it would be someday soon.

* * *

AN: So this took a little bit longer than I had hoped to put up, but there's just been a lot going on here. I hope you liked the chapter though!

Awesome-anime: you'll just have to wait and see :)

ktg: thank you! I'm glad you like it.

Umbreon: yes, he is, isn't he? But I don't think he minds too much, because he loves her. That's what he told me, anyway.

JMet: Thanks for reviewing :)

Patpat: i'm glad you liked it. And thank you for finding the errors. It's actually really helpful!

Okay, that's all for now :)


	8. Remember

**Chapter 8-Remember**

_A sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier times._

_-Alfred, Lord Tennyson_

During the next week, Eugene tracked down the five girls on Mrs. O'Grady's list and visited them, trying to see if they could be the princess. He cleverly came up with the excuse that he was attempting to find all the girls that lived in the Corona Orphanage so he could write a history of the place and he wanted to hear first-hand accounts.

A horrible cover, but they seemed to buy it. They were nice enough to him, which was pretty wonderful considering he could have been thrown out on his ear. He spent some time with them, ate too many tea sandwiches, and drank too much tea. But now that it was over, and he was in town, he wasn't sure what he had accomplished. When he thought about it, none of the girls could possibly be the lost princess. Several of them were too old, and so they couldn't possibly be her because they were not eighteen. They also didn't have blonde hair, and if he remembered right, the lost princess definitely had blonde hair. It was harder than he thought to find her because practically no one in Corona had blonde hair.

Except Rapunzel.

He felt like he should figure something out, like something was niggling at his mind. But he didn't know what it was, and he didn't want to deal with it right now. What he_ wanted_ to do right now was go spend his coins on Rapunzel, and so he walked to the best store in town. He wandered in, but all he could do was just walk aimlessly. He wanted to give her something nice, but he had no idea what. A young saleslady came up at that moment. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asked.

He couldn't decide if he wanted her help or not. "Um, yes," he said. "Maybe. I don't know."

She smiled kindly. "Well, maybe I could help you if you let me know who you're shopping for."

"Um," he said, wondering how to phrase this. "I'm shopping for a friend." Rapunzel was much more than a friend to him, but what else was he supposed to say?

"Okay," she said, and headed toward what looked like the men's side of the store.

"No, no," he said quickly. "It's a girl…friend, I mean. A friend that's a girl."

She smiled knowingly, and it was like she knew exactly what was going on. How did girls do that? "All right," she said, and turned around to the other side. "So, what does your friend like to do?"

He laughed a little, thinking about all her interests. "Everything."

"Really?"

"Yes," he said. "She sews, paints, draws…."

"Does she like to read?"

"Yes," he said, the beginning of an idea forming in his mind. "She does, and she only has like three books." He had noticed that the last time he'd been there. He didn't know how she could stand to be in the tower, and only have the same books to read over and over. Wouldn't that be boring?

She pointed him to the books next to him. "Well, all our books are over there." She smiled again. "And if I may say, _Ivanhoe _is an excellent book."

He smiled back. "Okay." He took one, but he still felt like he needed to get something else. A book wasn't good enough for something as sweet as Rapunzel.

The girl noticed. "What's wrong?"

"It's just…," he said, hesitating. "I don't know if a book is enough for her."

"Ah," she said. "She's very special to you."

She was. "Yes…" he said.

She gave him a kind smile. "Well, if I may suggest, you can't ever go wrong with jewelry."

He couldn't believe what it hadn't occurred to him. Girls _loved_ jewelry. Jewelry was definitely something good enough for Rapunzel. "Perfect," he said. "Do you have any necklaces with lanterns on it?" It could remind her of watching the lanterns, together.

She knew exactly what he meant. "Actually we do," she said. "Wait a moment please."

She walked away, but she came back with something in her hand. "Is this what you were thinking?" she asked, holding out a necklace.

He took it and studied it. It was a gold necklace with a small lantern at the bottom, and it looked just like the floating ones. He smiled up at her. "It's perfect."

The girl smiled back. "I'm so glad," she said. "I hope she likes them."

"I'm sure she will," he said. The girl walked away with another smile, and left him to buy the presents, completely excited about Rapunzel's face when she saw them.

XxXxXxXx

After Eugene found Rapunzel's gifts, he decided to go back to where he lived before he met Rapunzel. It wasn't anything special, just a little room in the not as nice part of town but not the ghetto. It was clean though and it was his own. When he arrived, he found that it appeared as it did when he left. So he decided to look in his special spot. That's where his most important things were, and he hoped they were still there, because those things where all his "valuables." He did his classic Flynn maneuver to open the floorboard and took out the small satchel that was hidden inside. He opened it, and much to his relief, everything was still in there:

His well-worth copy of _The Tales of Flynnigan Rider_

A small leather bag with….quite a few coins in it.

He smiled to himself. There was nothing quite like finding money when you didn't know you had it. He slipped it in his pocket, because money was _always _useful, then took out the next thing in the bag.

A small picture with his parents in it.

His eyes burned, and the next object he found didn't help any.

Two gold rings, one thicker than the other. His parents' wedding rings.

As much as he prided himself as being a rock, he felt like he could cry. Ugh. He hated admitted that, but he missed them. He missed them very much. His mother was so sweet, and his father….

Well, he wished he could be more like him. His father was kind and hard-working with lots of integrity, and much too honest to every steal anything. Nothing like himself, obviously.

Rapunzel was just like his mother though. She had her spiritedness, her kindness, the same pretty green eyes…

If he was like his father in any way, they'd be perfect together.

He fingered the rings. For a second, he could squint and see the ring on his own hand, married. Married to Rapunzel. He could smile at that, despite his sadness, because it would probably be the best thing ever. He put them back in the little bag, and then in his pocket. He decided then that he would take all of it because he really didn't need to return here. He stood up, and look around his room to see what else he had. After a quick look, he realized that there was nothing except for a bunch of dust and a really old looking vest. He frowned. He didn't really want that, especially since he had that new one that Rapunzel had made for him.

He left his old room soon thereafter, and he was careful not to let any guards see him as he went. Of course, he thought later, once he was back at his tiny house, he was still too good at hiding for him to be caught.

But it wasn't time for that. It was time to figure out what to write in Rapunzel's book. The necklace didn't need any explanation, but he liked the thought of a specially written message just for her. So he dug up a pencil and he chewed on it. He wanted to write something wonderful in the book, but he wasn't sure what to write. He decided to just put his pencil to the paper and see what came out:

_To my dear Rapunzel, may all your dreams come true. All my love, Eugene._

He read over it. He actually really liked it, and he meant all of the words. He did love her, he knew it for sure now. He loved her more than he thought he could ever love anyone.

He couldn't wait to tell her.

XxXxXxXx

While Eugene was off doing…whatever it was that Eugene did when he wasn't visiting her, Rapunzel did what she normally did for the next week- like her cleaning, her chores, her reading, her sewing, and all sorts of other things. It kept her busy, for certain.

But she still felt lonely without Eugeneand her mother here, and she wished….sometimes, just sometimes that things could be different. It made her feel sad and so she decided to cuddle with Emmy, her cat. She felt a little sad today, and it was impossible for her to be that way with something furry in her arms. As soon as Emmy settled in her lap, and she started petting her, she could feel her angst leave her as she could hear Emmy purring too. She smiled a little. When Eugene came, she was going to have to thank him again.

With Eugene now in her thoughts, she decided to finish up her drawing of him. She had been close before their kiss, she thought with a blush, but it wasn't quite right. Wouldn't it be fun to have it finished for him when he came back? So she pulled out her sketchbook, flipping to the page where she started sketching.

She studied it pensively. It was really just his face that she needed to finish, and so she started working on his eyes, his nose….

She found herself smiling again. He was so handsome. And sweet, and kind, and smart, and a bunch of other amazing qualities.

He was wonderful, really. Like someone out of her dreams.

Although her mother had never really told her much about love and she wasn't sure how it felt, she thought she might be in love with him. She missed him when he wasn't here. Her heart always leapt when she was with him. She liked talking to him, listening to him. Just being with him. She couldn't even imagine life without him.

She hoped he felt the same. Yet when she thought about it, he really hadn't given her any reason to think that he didn't He cared about her, he'd said so himself. Couldn't that mean he loved her?

She hoped he did. She loved him so much. She loved him more than she thought she could love anyone.

XxXxXxXx

The next day was Tuesday, and she was very excited to see Eugene. She couldn't wait for him to come, and it seemed like the morning dragged on. She couldn't help fidgeting, and she tried everything to keep herself occupied. She played with Emmy, she talked to Pascal, read a book...yet the morning still dragged on.

She thought about taking a nap or something, because then the time would go faster. She couldn't decide if she wanted to do that or not, because she wasn't sure if she could even relax enough to sleep, but then she heard him call for her. She let a little squeal, and she threw her hair. Soon her climbed up, and he was in her tower, with a satchel over his shoulder, and a smile on her face.

"Hello, Rapunzel," he said. "How are you?"

She smiled back at him. She was so glad he was here. "I'm great. How are you?"

"Good," he said. He pulled out two packages from his satchel and handed them to her. "Here," he said.

She took it, even though she felt confused. "What's this?"

He shrugged, but there was the smallest hint of another smile on his face. "It's just a little something that I'd thought you'd like."

She unwrapped it, only to find a book. _Ivanhoe. _She looked up, only to see him grinning at her. "I thought you'd like some romantic nonsense." She smiled back. "Plus," he added. "Now you have another book to read besides the three you have."

Ah, so he'd noticed that. He didn't miss anything, did he? But she was still very excited. A new book! "Thank you so much!"

"Take a look inside," he said with a little smile.

She turned to the first page, only to see something written there:

_To my dear Rapunzel, may all your dreams come true. All my love, Eugene. _

_All my love, Eugene. _Could that mean….? Her heart pounded as she looked up at him. "All my love?"

He smiled again. "Yeah," he said, and gently took her hands. "I love you, Rapunzel." She stared down at their entwined hands, not knowing what to say. He loved her, he'd said it. She felt overwhelmed with emotion. She felt his hand on her face, and she looked up at him only to find his eyes boring into hers. "Talk to me, Rapunzel. What are you thinking?"

She knew what he was really asking: do you love me. She knew the answer to that; she just had to say it. "Yes, I love you, Eugene."

His eyes immediately lit up, and she could tell how happy she'd made him. "Really?"

She smiled at him. "Yes, I do," she said. "And thank you so much for the book, and the cat."

"You're welcome," he said. "But I also have something else for you."

"Something else?" she repeated. She didn't need anything else, just knowing that he loved her filled her with so much happiness. "But Eugene, you really didn't have to-…"

"Oh hush," he said. "It was fun." He handed her a small box, and she opened it up. As soon as she saw it, a gold necklace with a small lantern, her eyes filled with tears again. It was a reminder of her birthday, the day he took her to see the lanterns. One of the best days of her life, along with today.

"Do you…..like it?" He sounded unsure.

"I _love_ it," she said, quick to assure him.

"I'm glad," he said, clearly pleased. "Do you want to put it on?"

"Will you?" she asked. He took it from her, and gently put it around her neck, clasping it for her. She touched the lantern. "Thank you. I never want to take it off."

"Don't," he said.

"I have to," she said reluctantly. "Mother doesn't know about you." If she wore it, Mother would wonder where she got it, and a whole bunch of questions would arise.

"Oh, right," he said with a slight edge in his voice. "Your….mother."

She had a feeling that she needed to change the subject, especially since she didn't want to argue with him about it, and she thought they might. She remembered that she'd finished Eugene's sketch. "You know, Eugene," she said. "I finished your drawing."

"Really?"he said. "Can I see it?"

"Of course," she said. She pulled out her sketchbook and handed it to him. He studied it for a while in silence, and she had to know if he liked it. "So….what do you think?"

He smiled at her. "I love it. You're such an amazing artist." He glanced at it again and his smile increased. "You got my nose just right."

She smiled at him. She knew how much he liked his nose. "Well, it's a nice nose," she said, then realized what she said. Her cheeks turned pink.

He only laughed though. "Thank you, I like it too." He looked at her intently. "Now _your_ nose is cute."

She felt her cheeks warm. "Um…thanks."

"Your eyes are pretty too," he continued. "They're so big and green."

Okay, she just knew her face was going to be on fire any time now. But she was undeniably pleased at the compliments. "Thank you," she said. "I like your eyes too. They look just like hazelnuts."

He smiled. "And I guess that's a good thing?"

"Oh yes," she assured him. "I love hazelnuts."

"You know," he said slowly. "My mother always said I had my father's eyes."

Rapunzel felt slightly confused, and she thought to herself that statement was a non-sequitor if she'd ever heard one. But it wasn't often that he said anything about his parents at all, and she didn't want to do anything to stop him. So she didn't point it out. "Really?" she asked. "What was he like?"

His eyes were far away from her now, like he was lost in memories. "He was smart, really smart. Funny. Kind. A hard worker. He treated my mother like she was princess and I knew he loved both of us."

To her, he sounded like Eugene. He was all those things."So like you, then."

"No, not like me," he said quickly. "He was a good person."

She could hear what was unspoken: _And I'm not._ She considered arguing with him, but she decided that wasn't what was needed now."You're not dead, you know. You can still be like him."

He met her eyes, and she could tell that the thought hadn't occurred to him. "You think?"

"Absolutely," she said. "But I'd love to hear about your mother too."

"My mother...," he repeated. "Well, she was smart too, and sweet. She was so energetic too. Always happy and smiling. I don't think I ever saw her sad except for when..."

She knew that here began the sad part of his story."When, what?"

He sighed deeply. "When my father died."

"Oh..." She didn't even know what to say. It was too terrible to think about. His childhood had sounded so perfect, his parents wonderful, and then suddenly….it wasn't. She couldn't understand why such awful things had to happen to nice people. "When was that?"

"I was about eight," he said. "He came back from his job, coughing. A few days later, he was gone."

Her heart ached for him, and she felt like crying. She didn't know why he wasn't. "And your mother?"

"She got the same thing my father had, but a year later. She held on longer than he did, but soon she was gone too."

"I'm so sorry." The words weren't enough to express how much she felt for him, but they'd have to do.

Now he looked away from her, staring at one of her paintings, but she knew he wasn't seeing it. He probably was just sad, and he didn't want her to see. She put her hand on his shoulder, hoping he'd turn around and face her. "It's all right, you know," she said softly. "You can miss them as much as you want."

"I don't want to be weak..." His voice was barely audible.

That was absurd, and she didn't mind telling him that. "It's not weakness to miss your family, Eugene," she said. "I miss my father sometimes, and I didn't even know him."

"You were right, you know," he said, finally looking at her again with the saddest expression on his face. "I do want my family back."

She sighed. "Oh, Eugene..." Overcome, she reached out and hugged him. "It'll be okay," she whispered. It wasn't long before she heard him sigh, and then his arms were around her, his head resting on hers. For a few moments, they stayed like that, but she wished she could do more to help him. She could feel the tension in his back from restrained emotion and she wanted to tell him that it was okay to cry. But she knew he never would.

After a few moments, he drew away to met her eyes. "You look just like her."

Somehow she knew he meant his mother. "Really?"

"Yes," he said. "She had brown hair, but other than that, she had the same green eyes like you do."

She recognized that as the compliment that it was. "Thank you."

"Do you want to see?" He seemed hesitant, like he wasn't sure if she'd want to. But she couldn't think of anything better.

"I'd love to," she said.

He reached into his pocket, and handed her a tiny picture of a man that looked an awful lot like Eugene, and a woman that looked like she possibly could if she had brown hair. They were both smiling, and she could tell how kind they were. "I wish I could have met them," she said wistfully.

"Me too," he said. "I know they would have loved you. Like I do."

There was only one thing she could say to that. "I love you too," she said quietly.

He drew her close and kissed her. "I don't know how I did without you," he said, looking into her eyes.

She tried to imagine how her life had been before she'd met Eugene, and all she could think was a never-ending ache of loneliness. Having him in her life filled a part of her that she didn't even know was empty."I don't either," she said. "The tower is so lonely without you."

"My house is too," he said. He glanced at her clock. "I should probably go." He looked sheepish. "Figure out what to do next for the princess, you know…."

She didn't want him to go, but she couldn't very well keep him when he was working on the job that she wanted him to get. "Okay. But do you think-..."

"What?"

"Do you think you could back sooner than Tuesday?" She felt the heat in her cheeks. She felt a little embarrassed at her request, but one day a week wasn't enough anymore.

But he only smiled. "Of course. How's Friday?"

"Perfect," she said. He turned to go, and suddenly a thought entered her head. He'd said before that he was unwanted, but from what she'd heard of his parents, she couldn't believe that. "But one question before you go."

"All right."

"Did your parents love you?"

He looked at her quizzically. "Yes, of course."

"Then you weren't unwanted, Eugene," she said firmly. "Your parents loved and wanted you. Don't forget that."

He repeated what she said, like the idea was foreign to him. "I was wanted."

"Yes."

His eyes glistened and he kissed her cheek. "Thanks, Rapunzel," he said. Then he left the tower without another word.

She watched him go, a slight spring in his step. It brought a smile to her face. "You're welcome," she whispered.

XxXxXxXxXx

Not long after Eugene left, and after she hid both her book and necklace in her room, Rapunzel decided to start dinner. Mother would likely be home soon, and one thing that would easily make her in a bad mood was if dinner was late. Luckily for her, she just made it and dinner was ready when Mother came home. Mother was grumpy anyway though, but she was a quiet grumpy which was easier to deal with. She decided that it would be a perfect time to serve the food.

While they were eating, she tried to make conversation with Mother, but it was very difficult. She stayed quiet for a few minutes, but it seemed too oppressive. "Well, my day was good," Rapunzel said, attempting to fill the silence. "I finished a drawing."

"I don't know why you bother drawing so much," Mother muttered. "It's such a waste of time, it's not like you're Michelangelo or anything."

Rapunzel's chest hurt like Mother punched her, and tears blurred her vision. She worked so hard on her art. How could Mother say that?

Mother noticed her expression, and she let out an exaggerated sigh. "Oh come on, Rapunzel," she said, clearly annoyed. "I was just teasing."

She didn't feel that Mother was teasing at all, and she thought that the most hurtful things she said were always when she was "just teasing." But she tried to force a smile. "Ha ha," she said weakly.

Mother went silent again after that, and Rapunzel didn't feel hungry at all. So she cleaned up, and Mother went to bed with a headache soon after that. Rapunzel went upstairs to her own room and sat on her bed, curled up. She wanted to cry at Mother's criticism, but the only thing that kept her for doing that was remembering Eugene's reaction. He liked her sketch of him, and he thought she was a good artist. It encouraged her to keep working, and she decided to draw a picture for him, with Eugene and his parents all together.

She smiled to herself, and snuggled under her covers. She loved her idea, and she couldn't wait to see his face when she gave it to him.

She'd start tomorrow.

* * *

AN: I actually think this is one of my favorite chapters for this story. I really really like it, and I hope you do too. :)

Sunny- I love your reviews! They're always so nice :) I liked it when they danced too. Maybe I'll have to have them dance again in a future chapter. But I'm very glad that you like it, and I like their romance too.

Patpat-Thanks! I'm glad you liked it. :) and for the rest...well, you'll have to wait and see.

Imagination-disney- Thanks!

Umbreon- :) Well, at least they finally did.


	9. Rejoice

**AN: **Just to be clear, this chapter is part of the reason I rated this T.

* * *

**Chapter 9- Rejoice**

_"Then Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would take him as her husband, she thought, "He will love me more than old Frau Gothel does." She said yes and placed her hand into his….."_

-"Rapunzel", Brother Grimm

Over the next two weeks, Eugene found it very hard to focus on finding the princess, because he was much more interested in the girl who was like a princess to him: Rapunzel, especially after the wonderful drawing of his parents she'd done for him. He spent lots of time being with her, thinking about her…wishing he was with her. He was glad that the Fox hadn't stopped by, because he wouldn't have anything to report. He was trying to see if any of the girls on Mrs. O'Grady list could give any other names of girls that they remembered, but he'd only talked to one of the girls and she couldn't remember anyone.

Yet the good news was that someone had actually come to him, asking him to look for their long lost sister. He almost couldn't believe it, especially because he hadn't even succeeded in his first job. But he wasn't going to say no. He could use the money, and so he told Mrs. Elizabeth Martin that he'd do what he could to find her sister. It'd actually might be easier than finder the princess, because Mrs. Martin thought that her sister might have run away to marry someone named Jacob Miller and if he'd find him, he might find Susan (since that was her name).

He did some work on tracking down Susan, but since most of it involved going to the city he decided to wait until after he saw Rapunzel today because that would actually be fun. So shortly after he woke up, he went to the tower to see Rapunzel. She welcome him like she normally did, but something wasn't quite right about her eyes and the longer he was with her, the more he grew concerned. He knew that something was on her mind today, but she wasn't giving anything away. He tried to entertain her with funny stories, yet she barely smiled at all which worried him even more. If she was all right, she'd be laughing because he was fairly funny. Yet she wasn't, not even a little laugh. So he decided to ask her about it. "Are you okay, Rapunzel?"

She looked surprised. "Of course I am," she said. "Don't I look okay?"

"It's not about how you look," he said. "You just don't seem yourself." He realized the irony of this situation. Usually she was the one asking him about this kind of thing, not the other way around.

She sighed. "I guess I'm not," she said softly.

He loved that she was being honest with him. "Tell me about it."

She was silent for a moment. "It's…living here," she said finally. "It's so….isolating. And I grow tired of it sometimes."

He knew that should maybe surprise him somehow, but it didn't. How could she not feel that way? "I know it must be very hard for you." He couldn't even imagine what it must be like to live in a tower all the time.

She bit her lip. "It's just…I mean I wish…." She held up her hands helplessly. "I wish things were different."

"I know you do," he said softly. He pulled her into his arms, and stroked her hair. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes," she said. "I feel like I'm still waiting for life to begin."

He was about to say something, but suddenly he heard someone shouting.

"Rapunzel!"

Immediately Rapunzel's face changed into a mixture of horror and dread. She jumped away from him, taking two quick steps backward. "Oh no!" she gasped.

He had a feeling he knew, but he asked anyway. "What's wrong, Rapunzel?"

"It's my mother….she's here!" she said, and she started shaking, he breath coming in short spurts. "What am I going to do? She can't see you!"

He felt like he should do something to help, but he didn't know what to do. Part of him felt like he should just stay put, and let her mother meet him. What was the worst that could happen?

"Rapunzel!"

"Quick," she said. "Hide in the closet!" She pushed him toward the green armoire. "Hurry!"

He glanced at it, and cringed. He didn't think he'd fit in there. "I'm not sure if I'll…."

"Come on, Eugene!"she pleaded. "I'll get rid of her as soon as I can!"

"Fine," he said, and squished himself into the tiny closet. Well, this was decidedly uncomfortable, yet he could feel the slightest hint of déjà vu. That was completely ridiculous, though….

But all of his thoughts immediately left when he heard Rapunzel speak again.

"Welcome home, Mother," she said kindly.

"Yes…," said a voice that he assumed was her mother's. It sounded almost…sinister to him, but why that was, he couldn't be entirely certain. Yet he knew he couldn't be wrong about this, and he was starting to understand why Rapunzel had kept him a secret. That discover was confirmed by the next words out of her mother's mouth. "But you know I'm growing a little tired of this, Rapunzel."

"Of what, Mother?" She sounded a lot kinder than he would. He straightened slightly, and immediately whacked his head. He rubbed it, wincing. He hoped her mother would leave soon. This was so uncomfortable! But he shoved his ear toward the door, trying to listen.

"You," he heard Rapunzel's mother said evenly. "I don't know what's wrong with you lately."

"I don't understand, Mother," Rapunzel said. "I've been acting like I always have."

"No, you're not, Rapunzel. You're acting….all flighty. You're always day-dreaming about something."

Even though he knew better, he felt like smiling. Was she day-dreaming about _him_? He liked the thought of that!

But Rapunzel denied it. "I'm not being flighty, Mother," she said. "And I'm not day-dreaming."

"Yes, you are. I caught you staring at the window yesterday and I had to call you five times."

Rapunzel said something, but he missed it. Stupid closet!

"Are you mumbling? You _know _how I feel about mumbling!"

"I said I'm sorry, Mother," she said. "I'll try to do better."

"You better. Or else I don't know what I'm going to do with you," her mother said. He shook his head. What was wrong with that woman? Who could talk that rudely to someone like Rapunzel? "The tower has been rather dirty lately too. Did you suddenly hit your head and forget to clean or something?"

"No, I…"

"And did you lose your mind? Because your food has been awful too!"

"I-…."

"Why can't you ever do anything right, Rapunzel?"

"I've been trying-…"

"Do I have a dummy for a daughter?"

He could feel his hands curl up into fists, and he was one second away from breaking out of the closet and wringing that horrible woman's neck. A deep frown crossed his face. He couldn't let Rapunzel suffer this kind of verbal abuse anymore. He had to get her away from this awful woman. He had to rescue her. But how could he do it? How could he have her come away from this tower and come stay with him?

He couldn't have her just live with him though. He'd never subject her to the other kind of hurtful comments that would come with that.

The only thing he could think of was…..marrying her. That way they could be together without any stigmas, and she wouldn't have to listen to her mother's cruelty. He couldn't believe he'd even think of that, but why shouldn't they? He loved her. She loved him. What would be more perfect than this?

"….I'll be back for dinner tonight. And the tower had _better_ be clean."

Then there was silence, and he knew that she was gone. So he cautiously left the closet, immediately looking for Rapunzel.

She was facing away from him, slumped in a heap on the floor. But he could see her shoulders shaking, her face in her hands, and he knew she was crying. He walked close to her silently, then knelt behind her, and he put his arms around her. He hoped she'd turn around and hug him back. But even if she didn't, she'd know he was there for her. And he still had his plan to fix all of it.

XxXxXxXx

After Mother left, Rapunzel sunk to the floor and let out her hurt in the form of bitter tears. Why was it that nothing she did was ever good enough for her? Why wasn't _she _ever good enough for her? Mother's words haunted her thoughts, and she wished she could turn them off.

But she couldn't. All she could do was cry.

She didn't know how long exactly she'd been crying, but she soon felt someone's arms go around her from behind. Eugene. In her haze, she'd almost forgotten that he was still here.

She turned around and buried her face in his shirt. How did he know that a hug from him was just what she needed right now? He held her closer, and one hand reached up to stroke her hair. "It's okay, Rapunzel," he soothed. "Just let it out."

She did. She started to cry even harder, but it was those kinds of tears that brought relief. And she knew that, in his arms, she'd eventually be okay. When she finally was able to stop her sobs, she feared she must have soaked his shirt. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be," he said kindly. "I'm just sorry that she said all that to you."

Her heart sank. She hated that Eugene had been there for her mother's tirade. "You heard…..that?" she said.

"Yes." He sighed deeply and looked at her. "Why do you let her talk to you like that?"

She felt confused. She didn't know there was another option. "What are you talking about, Eugene?"

"She treats you like her personal servant," he said. "Doesn't that bother you? Don't you notice how condescending and manipulative she is?"

A tiny inkling told her she was right, but she didn't acknowledge it. "She's my mother," she said, like that was an explanation.

"So?" he responded. "That doesn't make it okay."

She didn't know what to say. He looked angry enough to punch something, and she knew she needed to end this now. "Eugene…." she said. "My relationship with my mother is between the two of us."

His expression didn't change. "Rapunzel…."

"Would you like something to drink before you go?" she asked airily, as if she hadn't heard anything he said.

She could see the frustration in his face, but he masked it quickly with a tight smile. "Yes," he said. "Some coffee would be nice."

She quickly made it, and they talked pleasantly as he drank a cup. She could almost pretend like they hadn't had just had that awful conversation about her mother. But as she watched him finish the last sip of his coffee, she knew something was on his mind.

Sure enough, she was right. "So there's something I want to talk to about before I go," he said.

She had a horrible feeling that it had to do with her mother. "Um…okay."

He looked at her seriously, and her heart pounded. Should she brace herself? "Rapunzel…"

"Yes, Eugene?" she whispered.

"Would you…would you do something for me?"

That wasn't what she was expecting, but she responded anyway. "Anything," she said, meaning it with all her heart.

He slid down and knelt in front of her. He met her eyes with a quiet intensity. "Will you marry me?"

She looked at him, completely speechless. She felt so surprised. In all her ideas of what he might say, she never could have imagined this. Had he really proposed to her? "Eugene….."

"Please?" he said. Gently he took her hands. "You know I love you…."

He seemed surprisingly vulnerable, which caused her to wonder if he thought she'd somehow say no. She was surprised, of course, but that didn't mean she didn't want to. In fact, she couldn't imagine anything better. Eugene loved her, really loved her, in a way that no one had before. They'd be so happy together. So why shouldn't she marry him?

She smiled and squeezed his hands. "Of course I will!"

His eyes shone and he leaned in and kissed her. Her heart burst with happiness, but Mother soon came to her mind. She pulled back, horrified. Her mother would never allow this!

"What's wrong?" he asked, concern written all over his face.

She sighed deeply. "What about Mother, Eugene?"

He raised an eyebrow. "What about her?" he said, a clear edge in his voice.

"She'd have a fit if she knew I married you," she said. "She doesn't even know you exist."

His face looked resolute. "Well, I don't care if you don't," he said firmly. "Just don't tell her."

"Just don't tell her?" she said slowly, trying to process it.

"Yes," he said. "We'll marry secretly, and then when you think the time is right, you'll come away with me."

Rapunzel couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, surprised by his idea. Yet she couldn't help but feel pleased at the same time. Marrying him in secret, then coming away with her love sounded wonderful to her, and utterly romantic too. "Eugene…I…." She wasn't sure what to say. "I'd love that."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Good. So when would you like to get married?"

"Soon," she said as an idea came to her. "Mother needs to get food in the next few days, and sometimes she stays away for two days, so maybe we could then."

"Okay," he said, and glanced at the clock. "I should probably go…"

She looked at the clock too. Almost 4 o'clock. "Yes…." she said, even though she didn't want him to. She didn't want him to go anywhere without her.

He squeezed her hands, almost as if he could read her mind. "Hey," he said reassuringly. "It's going to be okay." He gave her a smile. "I love you."

She wondered if hearing that would ever grow old to her. She decided it wouldn't."I love you too."

He walked over to the edge of the tower, and he gave her another short kiss. "I'm so glad you said yes."

She couldn't help but smile at him. "Me too." Her heart swelled with love for him. "I love you," she said, even though she knew she'd just said it. But she did. She loved him so much, and she was so happy that soon they'd be married.

But he didn't seem to mind at all because he smiled again. "I love you too, Rapunzel," he said. "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay," she said. She watched climb down the tower, and she couldn't help but feel like he took part of her heart with him.

XxXxXxXx

As soon as Mother told Rapunzel that she would be gone for two days at the end of the week, Rapunzel knew that this would be the opportunity that she and Eugene had been waiting for. When she told him the next day, he was very excited, and they decided to marry two days later. The two days felt very long to her, even after Mother left, and she sometimes she felt panicky that her mother_ would_ come back before she and Eugene could get married. But on the third day, _the_ day, she knew that her mother could come back at dinnertime and she made sure he knew that too.

But she didn't want to think about her mother. She wanted to think about Eugene and what she'd wear on this happy, happy day. So she looked at her dresses, but none of them seemed good enough for this sort of occasion. Her purple…No, he'd already seen her in that a million times. Her pink….not that dress! She liked it, but it didn't seem sophisticated enough. Her blue…that was pretty, but not right either. Her eyes finally settled on her green dress. She smiled to herself. She_ loved _that dress, and she loved how she looked in it. If she had more time, maybe she'd make something special, but the green dress would be fine. So she put on her dress, and then she brushed her hair, trying to make it look perfect. Only a few moments after she'd finished, she heard Eugene call for her. Her stomach flipped over nervously, even though she knew that there was nothing to be nervous about. She was excited, and so she hastily walked downstairs so Eugene could come up.

When he did, she saw that he was wearing the vest she made for him, and she felt a little thrill. He looked so handsome in it! "Hello, Eugene," she said, somewhat shyly.

"Hello, Rapunzel," he said, then smiled. "You look beautiful."

She blushed a little, but she was very pleased. She _wanted_ to look pretty for him, especially on today of all days. "Thank you."

"So, are you ready?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said. Though the way he said it made seem like they were going for a walk in the woods, and although she was happy and excited, she did feel slightly nervous. This was going to change everything between them. Didn't he know that?

She couldn't be sure that he was thinking that way or not, especially when they began to walk toward what she assumed was a chapel. His face didn't give anything away, but he took her hand as they walked and squeezed it. It comforted her, and also gave her reassurance that she was making the right decision for her life.

Soon, they arrived at a little stone chapel. She thought they'd walk in, but he turned to her instead and looked at her seriously. "You're sure this is what you want, Rapunzel?" he asked her.

"Yes, I'm sure," she assured him. "Aren't you?"

He smiled at her. "It was my idea, wasn't it?"

That was absolutely true. "Yes, it was," she said. "And I'm so glad you asked."

"Me too," he said. She heard him breathe in, and then he knocked on the door. She felt a shiver of excitement. This was actually happening!

An elderly man with gray hair and a kind smile opened the door. "Yes? Can I help you?"

He cleared his throat. "Yes. We were hoping…well…." He hesitated. "Could you marry us?"

The man opened the door wider. "Oh, is that why you came?" He smiled at them. "I'd be happy to. Please come in. I'm Father Tim."

Eugene took her hand, and they walked into the little chapel. To her eye, it was nothing fancy, just wooden pews with an altar at the front. Yet she thought it was beautiful, maybe the prettiest church she'd seen, and the sun streamed through the glass windows. But maybe it was just that she was so happy.

She and Eugene both followed him to the front of the chapel, and he smiled at them again. "Before I start," he said. "I have a few questions for you."

She looked at Eugene, but he didn't seem worried. So she decided she wouldn't be  
either. "Yes?"

Father Tim took out a piece of paper. "What's your name, sir?"

Eugene didn't hesitate. "Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert."

He scribbled it on the paper. "And yours, lady?"

"Rapunzel," she said.

Father Tim wrote that down too and took out a book. "Is there any impediment?"

She wasn't sure what that was, but Eugene must have, because he immediately answered. "No."

"Do you have rings?"

She almost cringed, because she was pretty sure that they didn't. Would that be something that would stop them from getting married?

But Eugene spoke up firmly. "Yes."

She looked at him questioningly. "They're my parents' rings, Rapunzel," he told her softly.

"Oh…" She wasn't sure what to say. Her heart warmed at the thought of wearing the same rings as his parents, and she felt strangely honored too.

Father Tim nodded briefly. "Well, I believe we can begin now."

Rapunzel thought later that she didn't remember much of the details of the ceremony. All she could recall was Eugene's hands holding hers, his voice as he vowed to love and cherish her, him sliding the ring ever so gently on her finger, and the way he looked at her. She had no doubts that he really loved her. She had no doubt that she loved him in return.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," Father Tim said. "Eugene, you may kiss your bride."

Eugene looked at her tenderly, and took her face in his hands. Gently he kissed her and she kissed him back- kissed her husband! All too soon, he drew away from her but she could tell by his face that there'd be more when they were alone. She heard Eugene thank the priest, and she managed to thank him as well. After that, the priest asked them to sign some kind of license and Eugene immediately did. _Eugene Fitzherbert._ Then it was her turn, and it asked for her last name. She had no idea what her last name was, and she supposed she'd have to make something up. So she wrote down _Rapunzel Towers_, but her name was Rapunzel Fitzherbert.

The piece of paper in Eugene's hand said so:

_This is to certify that Eugene Fitzherbert and Rapunzel Towers were legally married on October 6 by Father Thomas Stevens and bound together as husband and wife._

She couldn't be happier about it.

XxXxXxXx

After saying thank you to Father Tim again, Rapunzel and Eugene walked back to the tower hand in hand. Yet neither of them said too much, and she wondered if she should be concerned about that. But there wasn't much to say, just that she was so ecstatically happy. She thought that even the sun, the birds, and the trees all seemed happy for them too, though she didn't say so out loud. She glanced at Eugene as they walked, and he had a small soft smile on his face, and she knew he was happy as well. Soon they arrived at the tower, and she and Eugene were by themselves once more. She wasn't sure why, but her heart beat faster at the thought. He didn't say much, and she found herself talking, just to fill up the silence.

"So what do you want to do now that we're here, Eugene?" she asked. "We could eat or talk…" Her voice trailed off.

He looked at her and laughed a little. "Honestly, I was thinking more along the lines of this." He crossed over to her and gave her a sweet kiss. It was wonderful.

"Mhhmm…," she said. "Kissing's fine too."

He laughed again, and scooped her up in his arms. He carried her upstairs to her room, and when he gently placed her on her bed, it dawned on her what he was expecting. Her feeling was solidified when he kissed her again, slowly and deeply. She drew back to look at him, all the while remembering that when Mother had told her about this, she'd always said it was horrible, hurt, and always made the girl feel used and empty. But Mother had said that kissing was terrible too, and she'd been completely wrong about that….

So couldn't it be that she'd be wrong about this too? "Eugene…." she whispered.

He looked at her, and she searched for reassurance in his eyes. She found it, and she knew that she could say no, that she wasn't ready, and he'd respect her wishes. He loved her, and he wouldn't pressure her into anything. She knew that. But part of her didn't want to stop him, because she wanted to feel close to him. She didn't _want_ to say no. He was her husband and she trusted him. "Shhh," he said softly.

He began kissing her again, and she allowed him to go further than they ever had before. When the time finally came for her to give herself completely over to him, she did so willingly out of all the love in her heart. Mother was wrong about this, she thought. She did not feel used at all, and Eugene was nothing but kind to her. He had treated her so gently and tenderly the entire time, and he kept his arms around her long after, whispering sweet declarations of love in her ear.

Shadows were beginning to lengthen before he released her and got up. She immediately missed the warmth of his arms, and she couldn't help but wonder why he'd let go of her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Didn't you say your mother will be back for dinner?" he said.

"Yes…."

"Well, then," he said. "I have to get out of here before she sees me." He started to walk downstairs and she quickly followed him. She knew just as well he did that he did have to leave, but her heart hurt thinking about it. After being so close to him, she could barely let him out of her sight. "Eugene…" she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He looked back at her with a kind look on his face. "Yes, Rapunzel?"

"I…" She wanted to ask him to stay but she knew she couldn't. Mother couldn't know about him. "Nothing, Eugene," she said. "You'll…. come back tomorrow?" She couldn't imagine being apart from him longer that that.

He smiled. "Of course."

He turned to go, but she wasn't ready for him to leave yet. She grabbed his hand and pulled him back. He didn't resist, and he wrapped his arms around her. She clung to him, trying not to cry, even though she knew full well that if Mother caught him here they'd both be doomed. "I don't want you to go," she whispered.

He held her close to him, his hand stroking her hair. "And I don't want to," he said. "But your mother…."

"I know," she said. "I know, Eugene."

"Hey," he said, his voice soft. He placed his hands on each side of her face and he looked deeply into her eyes. "Listen. I'm your husband now, and I'm going to take care of you." She blinked back tears and he pulled her close again. "When you tell me the time is right, I'll come for you."

"You promise?" she couldn't help but ask.

"I promise," he said, and she knew he meant it.

He drew her near and kissed her then, and she lost herself in it. All too soon, he pulled away. "I have to go."

"I know." Reluctantly, she let down her hair and after one more quick kiss, he started to climb down the tower. He hesitated for a moment, and she heard a quiet "I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered. She watched him go, and he grew smaller and smaller until she could no longer see him at all.

She ran upstairs to her room, crawled into her bed, and just let herself cry. He'd only been gone for ten minutes, but she already missed him so much. She ached without him, and what she wanted more than anything was his arms to be around her once more. She hugged her pillow to herself, pretending it was Eugene. But it wasn't. A pillow was just a pillow. But what else could she have done? She couldn't let him stay, even though they both wished he could.

Her thoughts were soon interrupted by a familiar call.

"Rapunzel!"

She immediately forced herself out of bed and down the stairs.

"Rapunzel!"

She frowned. Mother did _not _sound happy. She looked at her hand, and she remembered that she still had her ring on. Hastily she shoved it in her pocket. She couldn't let Mother see it. "Coming, Mother!" She threw down her hair, pulled Mother up, and soon she was standing in front of her. _Please, please help her not to suspect anything…_

But Mother didn't seem to notice anything different about her. "Rapunzel, why isn't the tower cleaner? I thought I asked you to mop the floor today."

Involuntarily, she cringed. She'd completely forgotten. "I'm so sorry, Mother," she apologized. "I guess…I just got busy and forgot."

"Well, just make sure you don't _forget_ tomorrow," she said.

Her cheeks grew hot. "Yes, Mother."

After Mother's chiding, Rapunzel made certain to do all the things Mother expected of her. She put away the food Mother had brought, sang for her, brought Mother tea after her rest, and made them a nice dinner. They ate it in almost complete silence, and Rapunzel's secret stayed fresh in her mind. At one point she slipped her hand into her pocket, feeling her ring there. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She was married!

"What on earth are you smiling about, Rapunzel?" Mother said, interrupting her thoughts.

"Nothing, Mother," she said hastily. "Just…nothing."

"Hmmph."

Rapunzel wisely held her tongue and face in check for the rest of the meal and as soon as she could, she went upstairs to her room. She hesitated in the doorway, shutting her eyes briefly. In her mind, she imagined that Eugene was standing there, with a smile on his face, just waiting for her.

But when she opened her eyes, he wasn't there. _Nobody_ was there. Her room was vacant, just like she felt inside. She realized then that Mother had told her that this would make her feel empty afterward. It wasn't Eugene that made her feel like she did though, she argued back at Mother in her head. It was simply that she'd felt so close to him, like she'd give her heart, her soul, and everything else to him, and now….now he wasn't here. She wasn't sure if she'd feel like this if he'd been able to stay.

Yet there was nothing she could do about it now. What was done was done, and she couldn't undo it. She wasn't entirely certain she wanted to anyway. Besides, they were married now, and she knew that this would have happened eventually.

She sighed deeply. She couldn't think about it anymore. Her mind was tired, and she could feel fatigue in her body too. So she got into bed, pulling her covers up to her neck. But she felt so alone without him next to her, and tears stung her eyes. Pascal and Emmy came up next to her though, in their own way telling her that she wasn't completely, that they were here for her. She smiled despite herself and she held both of them close to her.

As she dozed off, she couldn't help but wonder how Eugene was feeling now.

XxXxXxXx

That same night, Eugene was staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep. He supposed that could be expected, considering everything that happened, but that didn't make it easier. He tried not to think about Rapunzel, because it'd make him miss her too much, but that was pretty much impossible. How could he not think about his beautiful new wife?

He felt like smiling in the dark. Now _that _was probably the best decision he'd made in his whole life. She was always so wonderful, so brave….so good. Sometimes he couldn't believe how lucky he was. But thinking about how wonderful she was just made him wish she was here, instead of the tower. He also wished that today could have ended differently.

He clearly remembered the way she'd clung to him when he'd left, her eyes teary, begging him not to go. He hadn't wanted to leave her, and it had taken a huge amount of will-power to actually do it. But one thing that kept him from completely losing it, and running back to her, was the reminder that this wasn't always the way things would be. One day, he _would _take her away from the tower, away from her awful mother, and they'd live happily together.

But that didn't change the fact that he missed her. He missed having her in his arms. He sighed. Although it was stupid, he shoved one of his pillows behind his back.

Somehow it made him feel less alone.

XxXxXxXx

The next morning, almost as soon as Eugene woke up, he headed off to the tower. He worried that Rapunzel's mother might be there, but he needed to see her and make sure she was fine. As he walked, he saw some purple wildflowers and he decided to pick some for her- just a little something to brighten her day. After he'd done so, he soon reached the tower and called for her. She let down her hair and he quickly climbed up.

Rapunzel stood there, looking a little tired, but she managed to give him a smile. "Good morning, Eugene," she said. "How are you?"

"Oh fine," he answered. He held out the flowers to her. "Here, these are for you."

Her whole face lit up, and he was so glad he made the effort. "Oh, thank you, Eugene! They're beautiful!"

He grinned. "I thought you'd like them."

"But what are they for?"

She was much too perceptive for her own good. "Can't I give flowers to my wife?" He loved calling her that. It made him happy in a way he hadn't thought was possible.

She smiled then, a soft one. "Of course you can," she said. "But these flowers _say _something."

"And what's that?"

She studied her flowers intently. "They say I'm sorry," she said finally. "But I'm not sure why. We didn't fight or anything."

She was right, and he decided to be honest. "Okay," he admitted. "You're right. I am sorry. I'm sorry I had to leave you like that yesterday."

She looked at him, with understanding in her eyes. "You didn't have a choice, Eugene," she said softly.

"Maybe not," he said. He knew that, but he felt responsible for her wellbeing now. So if she wasn't all right, he wasn't happy. "But I hope you were okay."

She answered thoughtfully. "Well….I didn't sleep the best, but I was okay. I missed you a lot though."

"I missed you too," he said.

She glanced down and bit her lip. "I missed you holding me."

He opened his arms to her. "Come here," he said tenderly, and she immediately rushed into them after putting the flowers on the table. He held her close to him, and he felt the tension in her back ease. He drew back after a moment and took one of her hands, keeping his arm around her. Slowly, he began to waltz with her. She didn't seem to mind at all, and she smiled at him.

He smiled back. "Do you remember the last time we danced?"

"Of course."

"I knew something was starting between us that day."

She looked up at him. "Really?" she said softly. "How?"

"Because I loved dancing with you," he said. He squeezed her hand. "And holding you close to me." He drew her near again, and soon her arms were around him as well. He enjoyed the moment, but then he heard a small sound coming from her and it sounded a lot like a sob. He pulled back to look at her in concern. Sure enough, he could see a tear running down her cheek. He reached up and brushed away her tears with his thumbs. "Why are you crying?" he asked her. He didn't want to see her cry, and he wasn't entirely sure what had prompted this.

She sniffled. "It's just…" she seemed to search for words. "I'm happy, really I am. And that scares me."

Now he was completely confused. "I don't understand."

"I love you, Eugene," she said. "But I worry that this is all just a wonderful dream and….. I'll lose you somehow. Or someone will take you away from me."

Now he understood everything. She hadn't named her mother, but maybe she was worried that she'd break them up. Well, that wouldn't happen. He wouldn't let it. "Hey," he said. "You can't." He managed a small grin. "You're stuck with me."

Her face remained serious. "You…promise?"

He knew how much promises meant to her. "Yes. It's you and me, for all time."

As soon as he said it, he knew it was true. It was him and Rapunzel, for all time, and nothing, _nothing_ could split them up.

Ever.

* * *

**AN**: I'm just warning you now, that this is going to be one long author's note :) So, about what happened after their happy wedding...So, I know that some authors here (and in general) have no qualms about putting these kinds of scenes in, but I'll be honest and say I debated back and forth whether to cut that part out or not, mostly because I try to keep my stuff clean and have the characters not do anything I wouldn't do myself (within reason of course, because obviously I will not go thieving like Flynn does). But ultimately I left it in, because it seemed realistic and it DOES further the plot.

As for Rapunzel's reaction, I think that it is realistic too, because of REAL conversations I have had with REAL women. I don't think I can stress that enough, and I believe them more than I believe Hollywood who makes it out as a game, which I will NEVER believe that it is. Anyway, I hope I haven't scared anybody off, because it's not going to get dirty. I don't do dirty, and I CAN'T do dirty, nor do I want to.

On another note, I hope you liked this chapter because I did :) how can I not be happy at marrying them? :)

pat-pat: I hate her too, and that's probably why I never write her remote sympathetically. haha. Yes, you'd think Eugene would figure it out, but I think his mind is elsewhere right now.

stolen-fun: thanks! I'm glad you like it!

Better-beely: here's your update :)

ktg: and now they moved even further (farther?). Yay!

awesome-anime: I'm glad you like it :)

Umbreon: I like cute :) So hence all the cuteness.

Tangled4ever: Me too and thanks!

silvermist: thanks!


	10. Remorse

**Chapter 10-Remorse**

"Afterwards, the universe will explode for your pleasure."

-Douglas Adams

The next few weeks were some of the happiest of Eugene's entire life. He didn't really think of himself before as someone who wanted desperately to get married, but he loved being married to Rapunzel. He loved seeing her almost every day, he loved talking to her, kissing her…..being her best friend (next to Pascal and Emmy of course).

Everything. He thought he'd loved her the day the day they were married, but his love for her seemed to grow every day.

She was his wife in every way except one: she didn't live with him. He told himself to give her time, to let her figure out the right moment to leave her mother. But it had been a month since they'd wed and he wanted her with him. He wanted to wake up with her by his side, and kiss her right before he went to sleep. He felt so lonely for her sometimes, and he missed her when he wasn't with her. He told himself not to be such a baby, but he wanted her to leave her mother and be with him _now._

He tried to broach the subject with her, but every time he did, she brushed him off in a very un-Rapunzel-like manner, saying something vague like _I'm sorry, Eugene, but I just don't think it's the right time yet. _

It was thoroughly exasperating, and he found that it made him frustrated with her in a way he didn't think was possible. Didn't she know that he was trying to help her get away from the witch that was her mother? Didn't she want to be with him as much as he wanted to be with her? Didn't she...love him enough to leave the tower?

It was at that point when he thought that any "honeymoon" period that they had was over, and his feeling was solidified with what happened next. He went to see Rapunzel like he normally did, but this time ended differently than it usually did- horribly.

It all started when Rapunzel asked him if he could come back in two days- and he'd had to turn her down. He'd procrastinated on his job as long as possibly, not wanting to leave her, but he couldn't do it any longer. "Actually," he said reluctantly, "I have to go to the city for a few days."

Her face immediately fell. "Oh, I see,"she said.

"It's for work," he said, trying to explain.

She smiled, but she still looked sad."I understand, Eugene."

He knew she did, but he felt bad. Her face seemed as if clouds had covered the sun, and he hated seeing her like that. "I've postponed it as long as I can…"

"I understand, Eugene," she said again.

"Are you….sure you're not mad?" he said, hesistantly. He thought that if she was, she'd tell him. Wouldn't she?

She sighed. "Eugene, I can't very well be upset at you for doing something for the job I wanted you to get, now can I?"

"No," he said. What she was said was completely true. "But I don't want you to be unhappy."

"Eugene, I'm not always going to be happy," she told him in a very matter-of-fact way. "And neither are you. So we'll have to deal with it, just like I have to deal with you being gone."

She was right about that too. _But you could come with me, you know, _he thought grumpily.

Rapunzel shot him a look, and he realized that he'd said that out loud. He felt like he should be sorry, but he wasn't. "You could."

"And what would I tell my mother?" she asked.

He didn't really care. "Don't tell her anything," he said. "Just go with me."

"Eugene," she said, fairly patiently."I can't do that."

He found that exasperation welled up in him, the product of every single time she'd been evasive over the last several weeks, and he couldn't stop it. "Why can't you? I just don't understand why you can't leave her."

"Eugene….."she said, her voice holding a hint of warning.

But he didn't heed it. "I'm your _husband_, Rapunzel! Doesn't that make me a little bit more important than her? Why can't you leave the tower?"

Later, after he had time to cool off, he realized how much restraint she'd had at that moment when he was practically yelling at her. "She…needs me, Eugene," she said quietly. "I'm all she has."

"Well, maybe _I_ need you too," he snapped. "You're all_ I_ have. Did you ever think of that?"

"Maybe you do," she said, conceding the point. "But you can take care of yourself. I don't think she can."

He felt like punching something. He didn't _want _to take care of himself. He was so sick of that. As an orphan, he'd always had to "take care of himself," and nobody gave a rip if he lived or died. The fact that Rapunzel had said it felt like a slap in the face. _Oh, just take care of yourself, Eugene. I'm your wife, but you're_ fine_ on your own._

Whatever. "So what does this mean?" he said irritably. "Are you always going to pick her over me? Because I'm telling you right now that I'm _not _okay with that."

"I don't pick her over you," she said quickly.

"Are you sure about that? Because it seems that way to me," he retorted.

Her face flushed. "You don't understand, Eugene. You have no idea how-…."

He cut her off, sure that he comprehended more than she thought he did: her mother was somehow more important to her than he was. "I understand perfectly, Rapunzel."

"No, you don't," she said, two red spots appearing in her cheeks. "You-…."

He could tell that he was really pushing it, but somehow he couldn't stop himself. It was like his mouth was a volcano, and he couldn't help shooting it off. "Let me clue you in on something, Rapunzel. Marriage by definition means that you're supposed to be with _me_," he informed her flatly. "So how about you think about that while I'm gone."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he didn't give her a chance. In almost two seconds flat, he'd left.

XxXxXxXx

Of course, it didn't take Eugene very long to completely regret what he'd done. He hated that he'd fought with Rapunzel. He hated that he'd walked out on her. And he hated himself. All he could think of on his way to the city was their argument, and it replayed itself over and over in his mind. Why had he been such an idiot? Why had he been so…_mean_? She'd actually tried to explain it to him, but he just wouldn't listen.

Maybe he didn't understand why she wouldn't leave yet, but he wanted to. Couldn't he do that? If he tried hard enough, maybe he would. Besides, he loved her. Shouldn't he be more patient?

He sighed a little. He'd much rather go back to the tower and talk to her, but he had work to do. He had to go to the girls he'd talked to before and see if they remembered any other girls.

As it happened, it was mostly fruitless, frustrating, and a complete waste of time. But at the last house he went to, the girl said she remembered one other girl who had blonde hair.

Of course, she was out of town and she didn't know when she'd be back. So all he could do was say he'd try again later.

The next thing he did was look for Mrs. Miller and was a lot more successful with that. He _did _find her and when he told her that her sister was looking for her, she'd broken down in tears and she'd contact her sister immediately.

So at least he did something right, he thought on the second day as he walked around the city square. He sat down at the fountain and just thought for a while about how much he missed Rapunzel. They'd spent quite a bit of time here on her birthday, but he thought that any place in the city would probably have the same effect. Soon he saw the four little girls who'd braided her hair, but he didn't want to talk to them. He knew they'd ask about her.

But it was too late. They'd see him, and now they coming in his direction. He made himself smile."Hello, girls," he said pleasantly. There wasn't any reason to be rude.

"Hello!" the oldest one said. "It's nice to see you again. I'm Samantha."

That seemed to be a cue for the rest of them to tell him their names too, and it seemed chronologically too.

"Sarah."

"Sasha."

"And I'm Sandra," said the littlest one.

All of their names started with Sa's and they all looked the same. Well, this was going to be easy to remember their names.

Not. "I'm Eugene," he said.

"It's nice to meet you," Samantha said with a smile.

"But where's that nice blonde lady?" Sasha asked.

He didn't know how to respond. _She's with her horrible mother? "_She's...at home," he said. There, that should satisfy them.

Sarah looked confused. "Why isn't she with you?"

That was an excellent question. He'd like to know the answer to that too. "She...had other things she had to do."

"Are you two married?" Sandra asked.

Samantha looked at her like a little mother would. "Sandra!" she scolded.

Sandra didn't seem to understand why her sister was chiding her."What?"

"You can't ask that. It's rude!"

"No, it's okay," he said slowly. He didn't really mind the question that much. Then he crouched down so he was looking at her eyes. He gave her a kind smile. "As a matter of fact, we are." He showed her his ring. "See?"

They all gathered round, with big smiles on their faces. "Oh, how wonderful!"

"We're so happy for you both!" said Samantha.

Sasha looked like she'd say something too, but soon a woman with the same red hair walked toward them."There you are," she said, clearly relieved. "I've been looking for you all. It's time to go home."

"Okay," Samantha said. They all gave him smiles and goodbyes before walking toward their mother.

"I hope they didn't bother you," she said.

"No, of course not," he assured her. "They're nice girls."

That seemed to please her. "Thank you. Bye now."

She soon walked off, and he felt wistful as he watched them go. Someday he'd like to have a little girl too.

One that looked just Rapunzel.

XxXxXxXx

After Eugene saw the four little girls, he wandered around town aimlessly, wondering what to do. He'd already completed the work he'd come here to do, but he didn't feel like he could leave yet- like there was still something he needed to do. So he kept wandering around until he eventually found himself in front of the orphanage. He frowned to himself. Why on earth would his subconscious bring him here?

Then he realized that maybe his subconscious thought that Mrs. O'Grady could help him somehow. But that was crazy. Wasn't it? Could it hurt to try?

Before he could talk himself out of it, he knocked on the door.

Mrs. O'Grady soon answered it. "Why, Eugene," she said, clearly surprised.

"Can I come in?" he asked. "I…I need your help."

She opened the door wider, thought she didn't look any less surprised. "Of course, Eugene."

He followed her to her small office , and she sat down behind her desk. "Now tell me, Eugene," she said kindly. "What's the problem?"

"I fought with my wife, and now I don't know what to do," he blurted. Inwardly, he cringed. He sounded like an awful person, even to his own ears.

Her eyebrows went up- way up. "You did…_what_?"She blinked several times. "I'm sorry, you're going to have to repeat that- and slower this time."

"I fought with my wife," he said.

She nodded. "I assume you mean Rapunzel."

So she remembered that. He shouldn't be surprised; she never did forget anything, especially if it involved him and a certain cookie jar. "Yes. But we had a fight."

"And you want my help."

"Yes."

She leaned forward and she looked at him seriously. "I'm curious, Eugene. Why come to me?"

"Well, you're…a woman too." It sounded stupid, but he realized that it was the truth. He didn't really understand what was going on in Rapunzel's brain no matter how much he wanted to.

She smiled now. "Yes, which means I understand more how they think."

"Exactly."

"Well, first things first," she said."How do you feel about fighting with her?"

How did he_ feel_? Why was that important at all? Still, he knew he should answer the question. After all, he'd asked for her help. Maybe in some weird way, telling her how he felt would help. "I_ feel _like the worst husband in the world."

"Why?"

"Because we've only been married a month, and I've already fought with her."

She laughed heartily. "Oh, trust me, Eugene. It doesn't make you the worst husband in the world; it just makes you a normal one."

"Really?" he said, knowing that he sounded completely bewildered by that. But he was. He didn't think he'd heard his parents fight at all. So maybe he…wasn't the scum of the earth?

"Oh yes," she said reassuringly. "My husband and I loved each other very much, and we still fought. But tell me, why did you marry Rapunzel?"

'Because I love her," he said simply.

"Of course," she said, smiling. "But why else?"

His shoulders slumped and he stared at his hands for a minute. "I wanted to save her," he said finally.

She looked at him, and he could tell she understood. "What did you want to save her from?"she asked gently.

"Her mother treats her terribly," he said. "I wanted to get her away from that, and the only way was to marry her-and then she'd come and live with me. But she won't yet."

"And why do you think that is?"

"I don't know," he said. If he knew, he probably wouldn't be here!

"This is all very noble, Eugene," she said. "But have you ever thought that maybe she didn't need to be saved? And that's why she hasn't left?"

He hadn't considered that possibility, but he wasn't convinced by it at all. "Her mother verbally abuses her; I heard it myself," he said. "I couldn't do _nothing."_

"I understand," she said calmly. "Maybe she doesn't know that it's abuse though. Maybe she thinks it's normal."

"How could you ever think being talked at like that is normal?" he said incredulously. "If she does, then she's been brainwashed. She _does _have to get away from her mother."

"And be with you."

_"Yes._ Is that so unreasonable?" He wanted her with him more than he'd wanted that stupid crown.

"No, but you shouldn't have fought with her."

He was fully aware of that fact. He felt bad about it every minute he was apart from her. "I know," he said miserably. "Do you think she'll be mad forever now?"

Her lips twitched, and she looked like she was trying not to smile. "No, I don't think so. Not if you go back to her, embrace her, and tell her how sorry you are." She looked at him levelly. "You can do that, can't you?"

"Yes, of course I can," he said, trying not to sound indignant. Of course he could apologize. In fact, it's all he wanted to do since he'd arrived here.

"Ah, I know you can embrace her, Eugene," she said with a knowing gleam in her eye. "But are you sorry?"

"Yes," he said immediately.

"Sorry you fought or sorry you might have hurt her?"

He considered it. "Both."

Finally she smiled. "Then go to her and tell her that. And I'm sure everything will work out."

"I hope so," he said."I….I don't think I can live without her."

"And I'm sure she feels the same way," she said. "Have a little faith, Eugene. You won't lose her."

He felt slightly bothered at the fact that Mrs. O'Grady could read him so well, but he tried not to dwell on it."I love her so much," he said softly.

She continued to smile. "I know you do, and make sure you tell her that too," she said, and stood up. "But that's all I have time for today. Stop by anytime, Eugene, and bring Rapunzel with you."

"I will," he said seriously. He thought that Mrs. O'Grady and Rapunzel would get along fantastically. "Thank you."

"Ah, you're welcome," she said. "Anytime."

After thanking her again, he soon left, knowing that Mrs. O'Grady was a busy woman. He walked around town, trying to think if there was anything else that he needed to do before he went back. He couldn't think of anything. He'd done what he came for, and he was more than ready to get out of the city.

And back to Rapunzel.

XxXxXxXx

Even though Eugene felt slightly better after seeing Mrs. O'Grady, it didn't last very long and he was still mad at himself for fighting with her. On his way back to his house, he felt so down and miserable that he went back to the Snuggly Duckling, and ordered a glass of flip. He wanted to drink it in peace, but it wasn't long before Hookhand came and disturbed his little bubble of self-pity. "Whatcha doing here, Rider?"

Ugh. He didn't want to deal with this right now. "What does it look like I'm doing?"he said crabbily. "I'm drinking some flip."

Big Nose came up too. Great, he groaned. The gang had decided on a mutual gang-up, and he was the prey."Where's the blonde lady?"

The blonde lady….also known as Rapunzel. "She's at home," he said. At that stupid tower, and not in his little house. Sometimes he thought that even the house missed her too. Right now it was just a house. With her, it'd be a home. But now they'd argued, and he'd said awful things. What if she couldn't forgive him? He knew what Mrs. O'Grady said was true, but what if it wasn't? What if they-….

No. He stopped himself. Everything would be fine. It had to.

Hookhand suddenly put his hook in his face. "You mean _your _home?" he growled. "Did you ruin her, Rider?"

He felt a sudden rush of anger at the accusation and he stood up. "No," he snapped. "I didn't." He shoved his left hand with the ring in his face. "I _married_ her. Okay?" He sat down again. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to drink my flip now." He took another long sip of his drink, when he felt a big smack on his back. He nearly choked. "Are you trying to kill me?"

He looked at them, but they were all smiling happily. _What?_

"Well, congratulations, Rider," Hookhand said. "You_ finally_ did something right for a change."

His annoyance immediately vanished. They were _happy_? He didn't understand."What?"

"So you finally figured out what a special girl she is," he said. "Good job."

"You must be really happy together," Big Nose said, a hint of wistfulness in his voice.

"Yeah, we are." _We are when we're not fighting_, he thought ruefully.

"So she's a Rider now," Hookhand said."Rapunzel Rider? Sounds kind of weird."

"Actually," he said slowly. "She's Rapunzel Fitzherbert."

They all stared at him blankly. "See…my real name is Eugene," he explained. "Eugene Fitzherbert. And she married me. So she's Rapunzel Fitzherbert."

"Do you love her?"

Of course he did. "Yes, I do," he said."Very much."

"Good," Hookhand said. "Because she deserves someone that loves her."

"Well, don't worry," he said, taking a long sip of his flip. "I do." He lifted his cup and soon drained it. He didn't particularly want to be here anymore, not if they'd ask him a bunch of questions. "On that note," he said. "I think it's time to go."

They seemed surprised that he was leaving so quickly, but he was ready to get out of there. They were being surprisingly nice to him, and he didn't want to jinx it.

"Okay, Rider," Hookhand said. "Go ahead, but you bring her the next time you come," he said. "We want to congratulate her too."

"Oh, all right," he said pleasantly. _Yeah right. _"I will." He got up and headed toward the door. "Thanks."

He hurriedly walked out of the Snuggly Duckling and toward home. Although they'd been kind enough, he was kind of relieved to be out of there.

Being there reminded him how much he didn't miss being a loner.

And how much he wanted to make things right with Rapunzel as soon as he could.

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile, Rapunzel wasn't doing any better than Eugene. Now that Eugene was in the city, it was just her and her mother, and it seemed to her that Mother grew even more demanding and needy as time went on. And every time she thought about leaving, she couldn't help but wonder how her mother would fair without her. She _couldn't _leave yet.

But Eugene didn't understand that at all. That much was obvious from the way he'd talked to her before he went to the city. Talked? She shook her head at that. That wasn't the right word at all. Fussed at her was a better word, and frustrated and irritated described his mood better. She didn't even recognize him when he was angry. It was like he was someone else entirely. Oh, they'd had little spats here and there, but neither of them had actually been really angry. He'd been truly angry.

Yet when she remembered the vows she'd made, part of her felt that he was right to be upset with her for not leaving the tower. _Wilt thou love, honor and keep him…. and forsaking all others, keep thee only to him, as long as ye both shall live?_

She _should _be with him. But part of her was terrified. She wasn't scared of living with him; she thought it'd be wonderful to see him all the time. She loved the thought of making a home for them too.

No, it wasn't him that scared her. It was her mother. She had this horrible feeling deep inside that something very _bad _could happen if she left. Mother would surely not be happy, and she thought sometimes that she'd take her anger out on Eugene and hurt him. She couldn't bear the thought of that. She knew that Eugene was good at hiding and they could possibly disappear. Would that work?

She wasn't sure. She could suggest it, but she felt confused and she didn't know what to do. She didn't know if he understood how much pressure there was on her between her mother and him either. She felt completely torn, right down the middle, between the two of them. Her mother wanted her here. Eugene wanted her with him, and that's what she wanted too. Her eyes burned now when she thought of the things they'd both said and she wished for the millionth time that they hadn't fought.

She sat on her bed with a sigh, and as she did, she saw the book he'd given her underneath her green dress She grabbed both of them into her arms, and silent tears ran down her cheeks. Even though they _had _fought, she missed him. She missed him so much.

What if he never came back? She tried not to think that way. He hadn't said that he never would, just that she should think about it while he was gone. Well, she'd thought about it, and she was more than ready for him to return.

But it would be three long days of angst before she saw him again. She was doing her normal chores that day when she heard someone call for her- someone that wasn't her mother. It was Eugene. She let down her hair, and she waited nervously for him to come up. She gnawed at her lip. What if he was mad again?

Finally, she saw him come through the window, and she felt tension all up her back. But before she could do or say anything, he'd pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry," she heard him say against her ear. "I'm so sorry, Rapunzel." He brushed a kiss onto her hair. "Please forgive me."

Her tension drained out of her. He was sorry, he wasn't mad anymore. But most importantly, he'd come back to her. She hugged him back, now overcome with relief. "I forgive you," she whispered. "I'm sorry too."

"Let's never fight ever again," he said softly. He met her eyes. "That was horrible."

She couldn't decide whether to laugh or cry. So she let out a half sob. "It's not realistic to think that we won't fight, Eugene."

"Maybe not," he said. He touched her cheek gently. "But I don't think I could stay away again for that long without making up with you."

"Missed me too much?" she teased. A thrill of happiness went through her. She was so glad that they'd made up. She liked the thought that he missed her too. She'd missed him very much.

He shook his head. "You have no idea," he said. "When I went to the city, I saw all the places we went and I couldn't stop thinking about you."

"I missed you, too," she said, remembering how sad she'd been when he was gone. "But you should know something."

His facial expression betrayed his wariness. "What?"

"I think…," she hesitated, not sure how to say it. "I think you might have been partly right."

His eyes filled with surprise."Really?"

"Yes," she said. "I_ should_ be with you. So I have a promise for you." Even as the words came out of her mouth, she knew that she was doing the right thing. She _should_ be with him.

"Yes?"

"I promise that by the new year I _will _leave the tower," she said, meaning it completely. Somehow she'd figure out how to do that.

His whole face lit up, and she realized how happy she'd made him. She just wished the cold lump of anxiety in her stomach would leave when she thought about this. She was married, to the most wonderful man in the world. She should be ecstatically happy, not scared and uneasy. "Thank you, Rapunzel," he said.

"I _want _to be with you, Eugene," she said. She decided to tell about her concerns. She felt like he'd listen now. "I do, but I'm worried too."

"About what?" he said, clearly confused. "You know I'd never do anything to hurt you."

"I know you wouldn't," she said. "I know you'd never let anything happen to me either. But I'm not worried about me."

He visibly relaxed. "Then what are you worried about?"

"I'm worried about _you_!" she told him emphatically.

He laughed, which didn't help her any. He clearly wasn't taking what she was trying to tell him seriously. "Me?" he repeated. "I'm not made of china. I've defended myself before." He finally turned serious. "What's this all about, Rapunzel? What's making you so worried?"

"My mother," she said softly. "She won't be happy when she finds out I've left."

"No, she won't," he agreed, which didn't help her any. "But she'll get over it."

"Okay, let's say she does," she said, which she didn't really believe at all. Her mother never "got over" anything, much less the loss of her only daughter. But there was another problem, and he should know that one too. "What about my hair, Eugene?"

"What about it?" he asked calmly.

"It heals. What if somebody finds out?"

"Nobody will," he assured her. "And I'll guard you with my life. You know that, Rapunzel."

She sighed. He_ had_ always been protective of her…. "I know."

"But there's a solution to that too," he said. "Though I have a feeling you won't like it."'

"And what's that?"

"Cut it," he said simply.

He was right. She didn't like it. "My hair is like a limb, Eugene." She remembered now that she had told him that fact about her hair losing its power after cutting months ago.

"I know," he said, and she could tell he did. "I know it is, but you're so much more than your hair, Rapunzel." He sighed deeply. "Can you tell me what you're so afraid of? Please?"

He looked so earnest and eager, like he felt like he could fix anything that was bothering her. She only wished he could. Her eyes filled with tears. "I already told you, Eugene."

"Your mother hurting me and someone finding out about your hair."

"Yes," she whispered. Whenever she even_ thought _about her mother harming him, her heart ached. "Don't you understand that?"

"I do understand," he said. "You think your mother will hurt me somehow if she finds out, and I told you that I can defend myself. Especially against your mother."

Mother had her ways; she had no doubt about that. She was probably capable of things that Eugene didn't even fathom. "You don't know her."

"Rapunzel, I_ promise _you that she can't do anything to hurt me," he said sincerely.

She shook her head sadly. "Don't make a promise you can't keep, Eugene." She suddenly had the strongest urge to cry, and she turned away from him, trying to fight it. She didn't _want _to cry. She'd done enough of that already.

She heard him sigh behind her, and she soon felt his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him. She almost expected him to say something like he couldn't understand why she was acting so crazily.

But he didn't. "Rapunzel," he said kindly. And then he took her face in his hands, and kissed her.

"Eugene," she said. She wasn't sure what kissing her had to do with anything, but she couldn't deny that it was very nice after their fight.

"Shh," he said, and kissed her again, deeper this time.

She could feel herself being swept away, like she usually was when he kissed her like this, but she had to talk to him. She had an idea why he decided to do this. She pulled away slightly. "Eugene, you're trying to distract me."

He gave her a half-grin. "Is it working?"

She couldn't help but laugh, despite her anxiety. He just looked so cute like that. "Maybe…"

"Good," he said, leaning forward to kiss her yet again.

But she gently pushed him away. "You kissing me is not going to make me not worried forever, you know," she informed him.

He shrugged, holding her loosely in his arms.. "Probably not, but I figured it couldn't hurt."

"No," she said. "It doesn't." She decided then that she _wanted_ to be distracted. "In fact," she continued. "I think it's a _great _idea."

He smirked and kissed her once more. And for a while, she didn't think about her mother or her hair at all.

XxXxXxXx

Later, it was with a heavy heart that Eugene left Rapunzel that day. He'd managed to cheer her up but when he'd been about to leave she looked so forlorn. Yet all he could do was kiss her again and tell her that he'd be back soon.

He sighed as he walked back to his house. He didn't know what else to do with her. She was still sweet Rapunzel, but she was so unhappy. He thought marrying her was supposed to make things better, but now she was almost as jumpy and paranoid as the day he'd met her. At least he'd been able to make her feel better for a little while, though.

He sighed again. He wished he could cut her hair, and then take her far, far away from her life here. But he wouldn't do that. He knew how important her hair was, and he feared she'd never forgive him if he cut it without her permission. Yet the undisputed fact was that he wanted to fix everything for her.

But he was starting to wonder if that was even possible.

XxXxXxXx

After Eugene left, Rapunzel did what she often did when Eugene was gone: She'd curled up in her bed and cuddled with Emmy. She felt like crying because she missed him, because they'd fought and made up, and because she wished that he didn't have to leave her all the time. She knew that was partially her own doing, but she still didn't have to like it. She hated it actually, but she didn't know what else to do. She was scared about her mother and scared about her hair too.

Eugene tried to help, he tried to cheer her up, and for a while he had. But nothing he did could completely erase the lump of her dread in her stomach. She knew that Eugene wanted to make it better, and she wished he could.

But she was starting to realize that there were some things that even Eugene couldn't fix.

No matter how hard he'd try.

* * *

AN: Thank you so much for all the nice reviews! They are a big encouragement to me :)

Sunny: Thank you for your super nice reviews. I'm very glad you like it :)

Emma's Angel: Thanks! :)

Awesome anime: yes I really do. But what can you do? *shrugs*

JayLaw: wow, thank you so much! that's some of the nicest things I've ever heard about my writing. I'm glad I wrap you up in a cocoon of colors and light :)

Misti87: Thank you!

Patpat: thanks! And here is some of your angst... *winks*

Wolfram: Well, things aren't looking too rosy, do they? thanks for reviewing!

Umbreon: I like sweet things :) Now, why would you be feeling foreboding? *winks again*

Tangled 4 ever: Me too :) they are perfect together.


	11. Recourse

**Chapter 11-Recourse**

_"You godless child," cried the sorceress. "What am I hearing from you? I thought I had removed you from the whole world, but you have deceived me nonetheless…"_

_….The king's son ascended, but instead of finding his dearest Rapunzel, he found the enchantress, who gazed at him with wicked and venomous looks. "Aha", she cried mockingly, "you would fetch your dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in the nest. The cat has got it, and will scratch out your eyes as well. Rapunzel is lost to you. You will never see her again_."

-"Rapunzel," Brothers Grimm

Despite Rapunzel's promise to leave her mother, before she realized it more than a month had slipped by and she still hadn't left. She knew that Eugene wasn't happy about it, but he was kind enough not to say anything. His patience in her had the opposite effect on her than a person would think though. You would think that it would give her relief and she'd be grateful, but she wasn't. She felt guilty about it, and she wanted more than anything to just go with him.

But she couldn't. She was too worried for him, and she feared that if she _did _leave, somehow Mother would find out and hurt him. Mother was scary when she was mad about something, and she could easily imagine her hitting Eugene. She couldn't bear to see him hurt. Conversely, she was concerned about Mother too, almost as much as Eugene. She depended on Rapunzel so much, and she wondered if she could even take care of herself if she left. Eugene was her husband, but Mother was….her mother. She was torn, and she was confused about what to do or when to leave.

On top of her worries about Eugene and Mother, she just didn't feel well-emotionally or physically. For the past two mornings she kept feeling nauseous, and she didn't know why. Her courses hadn't come yet too, and she didn't understand that either.

She frowned to herself, just thinking about it. This wasn't normal for her at all. She couldn't remember it being this late…well, _ever_.

What was _wrong _with her? For not the first time, she thought that her body felt completely foreign to her- like somebody had switched it on her when she wasn't looking. She didn't know what to do, and she wished that she could talk to someone about it, but she knew her mother would just tell her to stop being a baby and deal with it herself. Or say something else rude like it. She knew Eugene would be sympathetic, but what did he know about this?

Nothing, that's what. He was a man, and this was clearly a woman problem. As much as she loved him, she wasn't sure if she'd want to anyway. It seemed…much too embarrassing to her, so she wouldn't.

She'd just have to deal with it herself.

XxXxXxXx

The next day, Eugene came like he usually did, looking fairly jovial even though he confessed that he was completely at an impasse in his search for the lost princess. She didn't feel the same at all, but she did her best to act chipper. It wasn't his fault that she felt sick the past three mornings (including today), and so there was no reason to be crabby. They chatted back and forth for a while until they both grew hungry. At that point, Rapunzel did what she often did, and made them something to eat. Since it was cold, she decided on soup- the soup she made the first time she'd cooked something for them.

When it was ready, she served it and Eugene ate it eagerly with a big smile on his face. She couldn't help smiling back. She just loved seeing him happy. Cooking for him was so rewarding because he always liked what she made and appreciated it. As they ate, they talked about all sorts of things, but her stomach didn't feel quite right. She wondered, for not the first time, if she was getting sick. She fiddled with her soup more than usual, and she ate significantly less than she usually did.

But he didn't seem to notice at all. Eugene set his spoon down, and smiled at her again. "That was wonderful, Rapunzel," he said. "Thank you."

She smiled back and was about to tell how glad she was that he liked it when a wave of nausea washed over her. She jumped up, and bolted to a bucket and thankfully she made it on time. She hated this so much, but then she felt Eugene's hand on her back and it made her feel slightly better. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He wrapped his arms around her. "Don't be," he said softly in her ear. "I'm just sorry you're sick." He brushed her bangs away from her eyes. "Did you eat something bad? Do you think you're getting ill?"

His concern was so sweet, and it meant so much to her. Mother would just tell her to buck up, while she felt Eugene was one step away from sending her to bed. But she wasn't sure if she was sick or not. "I don't know…"

He frowned. "Maybe I should take you to a doctor."

A doctor? She had no interest in being poked and prodded. "No," she protested. "I'll be fine. I don't want you to have to do that." His frown deepened, and then she remembered her missed courses. That definitely concerned her as well. "But maybe you could find me a medicine book?"

He sighed, and she knew he was decidedly not pleased. He most likely thought the best thing to do was to go see a doctor, but she did _not _want to. "I could," he said. "And I will. But if you can't find something that seems to fit, I _will _take you to a doctor."

She knew better than to argue with him when he talked like that. After all, he just wanted her to feel better. Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was get into another argument with him. "Okay, Eugene," she said softly.

He nodded at her. "Okay," he said, but he still looked unhappy. "I think I'm going to go do that and come back as soon as I can."

"I don't want you to feel like you have to do that," she said. She didn't want him to have to do something special on her behalf.

He let out his breath in a whoosh. "I know you don't," he said. "But I'm not going to lie, I'm worried about you."

She knew that. She felt a little concerned about herself too. But it was one thing for her to be worried. It was a whole different matter when Eugene was. "You shouldn't be," she said. "I'm sure I'm fine. It's probably…just a little cold or something." She decided not to mention that she couldn't even remember the last cold she'd had.

He shook his head. "It's not just that though, Rapunzel" he said. He met her eyes seriously. "You haven't been yourself for…." He sighed again, and there was a little sadness in it. "…_months_ now. Since we got married."

She didn't even know how to respond to that. The implication she heard was that she wasn't happy _becaus_e she married him. He couldn't go on thinking that was true. How could he even _think_ it was true? "Eugene, marrying you was probably the best decision I ever made in my life."

His expression softened and a hint of relief appeared in his eyes. She wondered at it. How long had he thought that about her? "Same," he said. "But I want to see you _happy."_

"I am," she insisted. _Most of the time, anyway._ "I'm just….having a bad day."

He muttered something to himself, but she couldn't quite make it out. But it sounded snarky to her, and she wondered what he was thinking. Then he glanced at the clock. "Maybe I should get going…."

Her chest ached at the thought of him leaving. The tower felt so lonely and stifling without him here. "What?" she croaked. "But you just got here…." She cringed a little. She sounded so whiny.

He met her eyes. "I'm only going now because if I do, I can get your book and come back tomorrow."

That was perfectly logical. But she didn't like it. "Oh," she said, still deflated. "Well, if that's what you think is best…."

He laughed slightly, like what she said amused him. She didn't understand it. Of course, she didn't always understand him anyway. "It is," he said. He walked toward the window, and she followed him, not wanting him to leave. She almost reached out to him, but her hand dropped limply to her side.

He must have felt that because he took her in his arms and kissed her. "Now, you rest when I'm gone, all right?" he said, looking at her seriously.

She nodded. "Yes," she whispered.

He left soon after that, and she watched him go with a sigh. Tomorrow had never seemed further away to her.

XxXxXxXxXx

Rapunzel tried to do what Eugene asked, but it was very hard to rest when Mother came home and kept asking her to do things. She didn't feel like she could say no, and when she finally went to bed, she instantly fell into a deep slumber. She didn't even hear Mother call her the first time the next morning, and she nearly got a scolding when breakfast wasn't ready the instant Mother wanted it.

But Mother finally left, and she found herself in front of her bucket…_again_. She sighed, and slumped against the wall, burying her face in her knees. She was so _tired _of this and she was growing worried. She was actually starting to think that maybe Eugene was right about her too. Feeling this sick every morning _couldn't _be normal.

She did her best to clean up before he came, but all she could do was to sit listlessly in her chair, feeling on the verge of tears. What if something really_ was _wrong with her?

Before she could work herself into a panic, she heard Eugene call and she let her hair down for him. Eagerly she waited for him to come up, hoping he had the book. Maybe she could find out what was happening in there.

He did. After greeting her, he handed her a heavy book. "Here," he said. "Your medicine book."

She glanced at it. _A Simple Guide to Medicine. _She snorted. Simple, her foot. The book looked like five hundred pages long. "Thanks." She opened it up to the index first, looking for missed courses. She found a few page numbers and put them in her memory. Then she looked under nausea. One of the page numbers was the same as missed courses. Well, she might as well start there, she thought, since those were her main symptoms. She turned to page 89, bracing herself for what she might find.

_Pregnancy._

The word seemed to scream at her. Mother hadn't told her much about that, but she knew the word meant a woman was going to have a baby. A baby! Panic rose up in her throat and threatened to choke her. But she told herself to be calm, and just read what it had to say. She skimmed down to the symptoms section.

_One of the first signs of pregnancy is missed courses….Another is nausea and vomiting, especially in the morning… This begins generally at about the sixth week…._

Rapunzel felt as if she was reading about her own life over the past few days. She didn't even need to read anymore. She knew then, deep inside, that this was the truth. There were no doubts at all in her mind, because nothing else would make so much sense.

She was. She was pregnant.

Fear filled her, and she tried to breathe normally, but all she could make out was short little gasps.

"Rapunzel," she heard Eugene say, but he sounded far, far away.

She glanced up at him. He was looking at her, with clear worry in his eyes. "Did you find something?"

Her face immediately heated up. In her stupor, she'd almost forgotten that he was here. "Um…" She had no idea what to do. She should tell him of course, but what if he was mad or unhappy with her? What if he didn't want any children? Things had been so good between them since the fight, and now maybe she'd ruin everything. Her throat closed up, as thousands of horrible what-if scenarios filled her mind. "It's….ah…" she stammered, attempting to speak.

She started to shut the book, trying not to hyperventilate, but he was too fast for her. Almost instantaneously, he was next to her and stuck his finger where she was reading. He took the book from her and read the same part that she had. She watched him as he did, his eyes widening. His huge eyes didn't cause her to feel any better. Once he finished, he looked at her for what seemed like an eternity. Her heart pounded in anxiety when he opened his mouth to speak. She knew that his response would make her feel better or worse, and either way their relationship would change again. "You're sure about this, aren't you?" he said finally.

"Yes," she whispered, trying to control her emotion.

"How long do you think?"

She hesitated, counting backward in her head. "I don't know, maybe six?" She felt her eyes start to sting, and her gaze dropped to the floor. He didn't sound very excited.

But then she felt his arms around her. "It's going to be okay," he said softly.

"But what about-….." she began. _What about my mother?!_

"It'll be fine," he repeated firmly. "I'll come for you tomorrow, and we'll go. All right?"

She knew that the time had come for her to go with him at last. It was her only option really, because her mother couldn't know about this. "Okay," she said.

"Good." He smiled at her, a big smile that went all the way to his eyes, and it was then that she realized that he _was_ happy about this. He had to be. She hadn't seen him smile like that since they got married. So he must want a baby. Maybe not this soon, but he had. He just never told her. Shouldn't he have told her that?

She didn't say any of that aloud though. "You're….glad?" she asked softly. Knowing that he was glad took a ten pound weight off of her. But there still was about twenty pounds left.

He looked surprised. "Of course, Rapunzel," he assured her. "I'm _so_ happy about it. Aren't you?"

She wasn't sure. Oh, she knew she wanted to have children someday, but that was the point. Someday. Not when she was still in the tower and her mother could potentially find out- could potentially hurt him.

"Let me ask you it this way. If you took your mother out of this," he said, practically reading her mind. "Would you be happy?"

She _did _like children, she thought. She loved those girls who'd braided her hair. So how could she not like her own? "Yes," she said immediately, then she bit her lip. "But I'd still be scared."

He took her back into his arms, and he stroked her hair. "I know, sweetheart. I'm scared too. But we'll figure it out together." He drew away from her to look into her eyes. "And you are going to be a great mother."

His confidence in her made her want to cry. He was always so kind to her…. "I love you, Eugene." It was sort of a non-sequitor, but she still needed to say it. His reaction was more than she could have hoped, and he wasn't upset by the news.

"I love you too," he said.

Something dawned on her then, something she hadn't thought of before- something that explained his response. "That's it, isn't it?" she mused. "This baby came from our love for each other." It was then that she felt the first stirrings of maternal love for it. She looked up at him, and she could tell by the soft expression on his face that he was already there, and he loved it too. He'd probably been there for about ten minutes, and he'd been waiting for her to reach the same place.

"Exactly," he said. "And you have a new little person growing inside you. And I can't wait to meet her."

She raised an eyebrow. He couldn't possibly know what it was yet! "Her?"

"Yeah," he said, smiling. "It's a girl, Rapunzel."

"And how do you know?" she asked.

"I just do," he said in a matter of fact way. "And she'll be perfect, like you."

She blushed at the compliment. "But don't you want a boy?"she said. "Don't all men want a boy?"

He laughed. "We need more girls like you in the world," he said. "I'd much rather have a girl like you than a boy like me."

She tried to smile, but her stomach was already churning again with anxiety. Eugene was happy, which was a huge relief to her. But what if her mother found out? It probably wouldn't matter to her that she was married, she'd still consider her behavior atrocious and licentious. The thought grieved her heart.

"What's wrong, Rapunzel?" he said to her softly.

"I'm so afraid," she whispered.

He cupped her face with his hands, and met her eyes. "What are you afraid of?"

"My mother finding about the….the baby," she answered. As she said it, she wished she could stop being scared. She felt like she should be happy about this. She _wanted _to be happy about this.

"She won't," he assured her. "How could she?"

"I don't know…" She wasn't completely sure how, but she thought somehow her mother could find out.

"Besides, we're leaving tomorrow, and everything will be fine." He gave her a smile. "I promise you."

She sincerely hoped that he was right.

XxXxXxXx

Shortly thereafter, Eugene left after kissing her and telling her once again how happy he was. He left Rapunzel to stare at the wall for a few seconds until she decided that she should pack up her things before Mother came back. So she went upstairs into her room, and tried to find something that she could use to pack. But she found nothing. She decided to check in Mother's room to see if she had anything. She looked around her closet, but all she saw was dresses and those obviously wouldn't work. She tried her nightstand next, opening the drawer. What she found sent shivers down her spine.

A knife.

She reached out to touch it, and when she did, she pulled back, feeling like her hand was burned. But she had to do something. In her mind, she could picture Mother using it…maybe on Eugene?

Another wave of nausea washed over her, but this time for an entirely different reason. All she could see now was Eugene bleeding, Eugene hurt, Eugene lying limply on the floor of the tower…

She couldn't bear the thought of it. Impulsively she grabbed the knife, and thrust it deep into one of her pockets. She couldn't leave it there, she just couldn't.

In a daze she wandered back up into her room, trying to figure out what else she could do. She finally decided to use one of her pillow cases, and began to stuff in her dresses, her other clothes, her art things, her three books, the necklace Eugene had given her…

But she wasn't completely engaged in what she was doing. When she went down to have a little something to tide her over to dinner, she brought down_ Ivanhoe_ to read.

Yet because her brain was still thinking about what she'd found, she did something she ordinarily wouldn't have:

She forgot to take her book upstairs with her.

XxXxXxXx

Mother came soon shortly after that, and Rapunzel did her best to pretend that everything was normal. She also made the best meal that she'd made in a while, and Mother seemed pleased by that. Yet she still excused herself as soon as she could, and went upstairs to her room.

She sat on her bed, and Emmy came and jumped up next to her. She stroked her absentmindedly, but her thoughts were far, far away.

She was thinking about Eugene.

She was thinking about the baby.

She put her hand on her stomach, trying to imagine herself in seven months. She couldn't do it. When she considered it, she could only picture herself fat, not knowing at all what pregnant women looked like, and she couldn't stand the thought of that.

Would Eugene even find her pretty then?

She sighed to herself. Was that a horribly selfish thought? Shouldn't she care more about the baby than her appearance?

Maybe Eugene was wrong. Maybe she'd be an absolutely _horrible _mother, a selfish one who didn't care at all for her child. She immediately knew that was not true though, because she did care about the baby already. How could she not? She- since Eugene seemed absolutely sure it was a girl- was a part of her. She could no more dislike the baby than she could any other part of her. Besides, she reminded herself, Eugene was happy. _Very _happy.

She knew that he wanted it to be like her, but she honestly wouldn't mind if she resembled him more, or had his brown eyes instead of her green. She loved his eyes. Actually, right now she didn't care if it was a boy or a girl either. What mattered was that it was healthy- and they were both together, somewhere Mother couldn't hurt any of them.

The thought had barely crossed her mind, when she heard Mother yell for her. "Rapunzel!"

She cringed. She did _not _sound happy, so she quickly went downstairs. Mother's face was red with fury, though Rapunzel had no idea why. She hadn't done anything wrong that she could think of, and she'd cleaned up all her messes. She'd even made a perfectly fine meal too. "Rapunzel!" she yelled, even though she was about two feet away. "Come here!"

She walked over, her heart pounding. "Yes, Mother?" she said with a calmness that she did not feel.

Mother flashed a book in her face, and from her brief glance at it, it was the book Eugene had given her. Instantly, the color drained out of her face.

"What is the meaning of this book, Rapunzel?" she said.

Rapunzel wasn't one to lie, but it was the only thing she could think of to do. "I haven't seen that book before in my life."

Mother grew even angrier at that, if such a thing were possible, and her eyes narrowed. "Oh really?" she spat. "Then why is your name written in it?" She turned to the first page and started to read in a mocking voice. "To my dear Rapunzel, may all your dreams come true. With all my love, Eugene." She slammed the book shut and glared at her. "Who is this _Eugene_, Rapunzel?"

Rapunzel grew more and more anxious as her mother talked, but now fear that her mother would hit her or something coursed through her. She took two big steps back. "He's…." she hesitated. She felt sick with fear. "He's…just…." Finally she decided she had to lie again. God knew what would happen to her-or him- if she didn't. "He's just…. no one, Mother," she said.

Mother stared at her, then she laughed callously. "Oh, Rapunzel," she said condescendingly. "You never _were_ good at lying." Her face turned stern and she walked over to the fireplace, holding the book over the fire. Instantly, Rapunzel's fear increased because she had a feeling she knew what her mother was thinking. And that was confirmed by the next words out of her mouth. "Tell me who this Eugene is, or your book gets it."

The mere thought of her book being burned made her feel awful. "Mother, please," she pleaded. "Just put the book down…"

"Tell me!" she barked.

"He's just…he's just a friend!" she blurted, making it up on the spot. She couldn't tell Mother that Eugene was her husband, or that she was pregnant. She'd _never _understand. "He came to the tower one day and we talked. He comes sometimes to see me. That's all!"

Mother's hand moved away briefly, but then her eyes narrowed again and she thrust it into the fire. "No!" Rapunzel cried instantly, falling to her knees.

"You're lying to me again, Rapunzel!" Mother said coldly. "Let me know if you ever want to tell me the truth." She walked away, shaking her head as she went.

But Rapunzel didn't see. Her eyes blurred with tears, and she buried her face in her hands. Although she knew the book was just a book, and a book was just a thing, she felt the loss of it acutely. It reminded her not just of Eugene but also of the day he'd told her he loved her. Sobs raked her body, but she didn't know how long she'd been crying until Mother shook her.

"Stop that infernal crying, Rapunzel!" she snarled. "How many times have I told you that tears never solve anything?"

Suddenly something in Rapunzel just broke. She was so sick of Mother's condescending remarks. "I can't help it," she snapped. "I love Eugene, and you just burned a gift from him!" She turned around and headed for the stairs.

"And just where are you going?" Mother demanded.

"I'm going up to my room," she informed her. "So I won't disturb you further with my 'infernal crying!" Then she ran upstairs without saying anything else.

XxXxXxXx

In her room, Rapunzel let herself cry again. She couldn't believe that Mother had burned her book. She curled up into a ball and sobbed. Emmy nuzzled her hair, but it didn't help her. Not even Pascal could comfort her, but he kept gesturing toward her pocket. Eventually she realized that she still had her ring there. She pulled it out and held it in her hand. It comforted her more than she could say to know that tomorrow her life wouldn't be like this.

Tomorrow she'd be free.

Wouldn't she?

She didn't know. Her feeling that something bad could happen hadn't diminished at all, especially now that Mother knew about Eugene. And how could she manage to get away from Mother now?

Hot tears ran down her cheeks again. She knew something like this would happen; she _knew_ it. She probably should have left with Eugene the minute she realized that she was pregnant.

Why was she so stupid sometimes? She wished she could somehow tell him that Mother found out, but that was impossible.

She saw Mother standing in the doorway. "Are you _still _crying, Rapunzel?" she said rudely. "You are such a baby!"

Mother's words didn't stop her tears, and she felt anger rise up. She was so sick of Mother's unkind comments. "At least I can take care of myself!" she snapped, shoving her ring back inside her pocket. "Unlike some people I know."

Mother's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Words came tumbling out of her and she couldn't stop them, the result of years and years of frustration. "I mean that you never can do anything yourself! You can't even make your food, or clean up after yourself without me doing all the work! And I'm so-…."

"That's enough, Rapunzel!" Mother said icily. "You can't talk to me like that."

And Mother still treated her like she was eight. If she was old enough to get married, wasn't she old enough to move if she wanted to? "And you can't talk to me like I'm two!" she shot back. "I'm an adult! You know what? I'm leaving! I'm going to be with Eugene, and you can't stop me!"

Mother glared at her. "Is that a threat, Rapunzel?"

"No," she said. "It's not. But you can't take it however you want. You usually do." She noticed that Mother seemed to be holding something behind her back, but she decided to ignore it. She started to walk down the stairs, grabbing her bag with her. But before she could, she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head.

And everything faded to black.

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile Eugene walked home, blithely unaware of what was happening in the tower, whistling cheerfully. He couldn't help but smile at the news he'd received today.

They were going to have a baby!

Well, he amended, more accurately_ Rapunzel_ was having a baby, but it was really both of them. He couldn't stop smiling about it, and his smile increased when he opened the door to his house. The next time he'd come back here, he'd have Rapunzel with him. Finally. Finally they'd be together.

Yet when he looked around the house, he sighed a little. It really was nothing fancy at all, and Rapunzel deserved the nicest house. But he reminded himself that what truly mattered was that they were both here. Besides, she'd probably want to paint all over, and she'd make it pretty. That was just how she was, and he loved that about her.

He hoped their little girl would be the same way. He had told Rapunzel that he knew it was a girl, and he really believed it. He wasn't sure if she knew how completely thrilled he was about this though, or how much he truly wanted it. He wasn't even sure that he could express in words how glad he was. A baby! She was a new little person to hold and love, and the best part was that she would be _theirs_- his and Rapunzel's.

He only wished that Rapunzel had been as thrilled as he was. Yet maybe she'd be happy about the baby once she got away from her mother and had time to think about it. He felt certain that would be the case. Rapunzel was such a sweet person and she had been so good with those girls when they braided her hair. She'd liked them, he knew it. She liked everyone. So how could she not like her own child?

She'd be glad when she'd been here a few days, and he'd tell her again how happy he was.

When the baby came, they'd be even happier.

They'd be a family.

XxXxXxXx

The next morning, Eugene woke up with a smile still on his face. Even hours later, he wasn't any less excited about Rapunzel's news about the baby, and he felt like singing. Yet his joy started to diminish as he went through his morning routines. He was starting to think that all wasn't right, and he couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong. His sense was that Rapunzel was in trouble, and he was the only one who could help her. He frowned. He thought that he'd give her more time this morning to get ready to leave, but he felt like he had to go to her _now._ So he swiftly left his house, and headed for the tower as fast as he could.

But he still felt like it had taken him much too long, even though in reality it was probably the quickest he'd ever gotten there. He immediately called for her. "Rapunzel?"

There was no answer, only a heavy silence.

He tried again. "Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

Suddenly her hair came soaring down, and he quickly climbed it. But when he finally reached the top, it was not Rapunzel he saw. Instead of her, he saw a- well, he guessed she could be considered pretty, but he didn't see it- woman standing in front of him. He supposed this was her mother, though he couldn't see that either. And Rapunzel was nowhere to be found. He immediately wanted to climb back down, or burst through her and find Rapunzel. Where was she?

But instead he smiled. It never hurt to be nice, right? "Oh, hello," he said pleasantly. "I'm looking for Rapunzel. You must be her mother. It's nice to meet you."

Her only response was to narrow her eyes. "You must be _Eugene_," she spat.

_Charming_. How had a rude woman like this raised someone like Rapunzel? "I am," he said, putting his hand in her face. "I'm also the husband. And I'm looking for my _wife_." He gave her a fake smile. "You wouldn't happen to know where she is, would you?"

"I'm afraid I can't help you," she said flatly. "Rapunzel's dead."

His heart literally stopped for a moment and he stared at her in shock, unconsciously stepping backward. A mistake, as it turned out, but he was too upset. _Rapunzel….dead?_ How could that have happened? "No…she's not," he said, finally able to speak. "I don't believe you."

She scowled. Then she walked fast toward him, her eyes full of anger. "I meant…," she said slowly. "She's dead to_ you_!" Abruptly she placed both of her hands on his chest and shoved, causing him to lose his balance. He tried to stand upright, but it was too late. He'd stood close to the window, and with the sudden force, he began to tumble right out of it. Down he fell, and he attempted to grab on to…_something, _but there was nothing. Nothing but air and then the sudden, horrible thud as his body hit the ground. He figured that death was imminent- and now he wouldn't be able to save Rapunzel, save his sweet wife from her horrible mother. And what would happen to their baby now? He felt like he'd completely failed her. _I'm sorry, Rapunzel…._

Pain was everywhere, but he managed to stay somewhat alert. Then his face and head somehow hit a rock, and he lost the fight to remain conscious.

_I'm sorry, Rapunzel…._

* * *

AN: Not sure why this chapter took so long, but there you go :) I hope you liked it.

Finn Hudson: glad you like it :)

Sunny: your reviews are just like you, rays of sunshine to brighten my day. Thank you! And I liked it when he talked to the little girls too. He is. Sometimes I wonder if I make him TOO sweet, but I like sweet things, so there you go. haha. Is this what you thought would happen?

Awesome anime: I'm glad you like it. Yes to the first, as you can see :)

Patpat: i thought it was cute too :) here's some more angst

CessLizz: thanks!

ktg: as you can read, yes :)

Emma's Angel: she did. It wasn't pretty, was it?

misti87: thanks for the suggestion!

whiterainbows: thanks! i'm glad it seemed realistic to you :)

JayLaw: thank you! that's really nice :) I loved the part with the girls too.

Umbreon: no, they don't :) he's very different now that he knows her!


	12. Regret

**AN: **So this isn't what I intended for this chapter at all, but sometimes things change in your mind and you have to run with it.

* * *

**Chapter 12-Regret**

_"He escaped with his life, but he lost his eyesight in the fall….. _

-"Rapunzel," Brothers Grimm

Hours later, Rapunzel woke up with a start. She found herself still slumped on the floor of her room, and Mother was nowhere in sight. She felt rather thankful for that, but she knew she'd have to find her eventually.

When she sat up, her head ached and she realized that Mother must have hit her there with something….maybe her frying pan? Even though her head hurt very much and she felt dizzy, she forced herself to stand up and walk downstairs. By the light shining in her room, she knew that morning had come- and Eugene was supposed to be here any second. She had to keep Mother from doing something to hurt him if she could. Before she went downstairs, she put on her wedding ring, and this time she was_ never _taking it off. She wasn't going to hide it anymore, nor was she going to hide her anger from Mother either. She had no right to hit her on the head like that! What if she'd been hurt badly? What if the _baby_ had been hurt? She worried a little that something _had_ happened to the baby, but she forced herself to stay calm. Surely if something was wrong, she would feel something and she didn't.

So she quickly walked downstairs and Mother was sitting there, calmly drinking a cup of coffee.

Mother glanced up and saw her. "So you're_ finally_ awake," she said, her irritation obvious.

Rapunzel bit her tongue, but she still couldn't stop the frustrated words that came out of her mouth. "Well, I might have woken up earlier if you hadn't smacked in the head with something," she retorted.

Mother looked at her with bored disdain."Yes, well, I had something I had to do- without any interference from you."

Dread filled her at Mother's words. This was exactly what she'd feared would happen! "I see," Rapunzel said, managing to hide any trace of alarm. "And would that something happen to do with Eugene?"

She considered, while taking another sip of her coffee "Hmm," she said. "Now I guess it did." She gave her a fake sugary smile, yet it did nothing but increase Rapunzel's anxiety. She had a horrible feeling Mother had done something to him. "But don't worry, flower, I've already taken care of him," Mother said. "He's gone."

"Gone?" she repeated. Gone had so many different meanings, and she prayed to God that it wasn't the meaning that she thought it was.

"You know," Mother continued. "Dead."

"Dead?" She knew she was repeating everything that Mother said, but she just couldn't process this. Eugene was….dead? She couldn't picture it. Mother had_ killed_ Eugene? How could she be so cruel?

Mother let out a coarse laugh. "Well, of course. You couldn't expect him to survive falling out of the tower, could you?"

Her heart grew heavy, tears stinging her eyes. She had a horrible feeling all over that Mother really had done that, and Eugene truly _was _gone. And it was all her fault. She'd known something like this could happen, and she should have done more to prevent it. But she wouldn't believe it until she saw it. She couldn't! "You….pushed him out the window?"

She pretended to consider again. "Now I guess I did, and buried him too after he was dead," she said. "Hmm. Very considerate, wasn't I? Anyway, would you mind singing for me? All this commotion has made me tired."

At that calm dismissal, anger began to well up in her. How could her mother treat this so callously? She'd known how important Eugene was to her, and now she wanted her to sing like it didn't matter. "Are you serious?" Rapunzel said, incredulous. "You really think I'll do that for you after what you did?" After ruining her whole life, she was never going to let Mother use her hair again and neither would anyone else. Her ability would die with Eugene. She pulled out the knife from her pocket.

Mother immediately realized what she was about to do and she started toward her. "No, Rapunzel! No!"

She didn't listen, and she didn't stop."Well, I have news for you," she said flatly. " I'll never let you use my hair again!" With one shift motion, she sliced through her hair a few inches above her waist. As soon as she did, Gothel rapidly aged much to her surprise and the knife slipped from her hand. "What have you done?" Mother cried. "What have you done?!"

With horror, Rapunzel realized that her hair was the only thing that had been keeping her mother alive, and it was mere seconds before she had completely shriveled up into dust. She hesitantly walked over, and stared at what was left her mother.

What had she done? She hadn't wanted to get rid of her, just have her stop using her. But it seemed her plan had completely backfired on her. Not only was Mother gone, but Eugene probably was also. Tears welled in her eyes. She felt so completely alone and it was all her fault. He was gone because of her, and she regretted that she didn't leave with him yesterday. Yet the tiniest spark of hope remained in her that maybe someway Eugene had survived. It wasn't long before she left in search of him, deciding that she wouldn't believe it until she saw it for herself.

After looking all around the tower for what seemed like hours, she couldn't find him anywhere. Her rational side told her that probably meant he was truly gone and dead, and Mother had been right when she'd said she'd buried him. She thought about looking around for a tell-tale mound of dirt, but she figured Mother wouldn't have even marked the spot in any way. Part of her didn't want to find it, because then she would know that he was really dead. Yet it was the only explanation that she could come up with, because she knew that if he was fine, nothing in this world would stop him from coming to her.

She fell to the ground and wept, overcome with grief. What would she do now that Eugene and Mother were both gone?

XxXxXxXx

Rapunzel didn't know how long she cried but she eventually grew cold in the winter air. She knew that she should go back to the tower, and warm up. She did so, but she couldn't stay there long. Everywhere she looked she had memories of her and Eugene, her and Mother, and her heart hurt when she thought about all the happy moments here. She soon realized that she couldn't stay here, she just couldn't. It was too painful. In a large act of will, she stifled down her grief and packed up all her things, put a very unhappy Emmy in her pocket, Pascal on her shoulder, and set off. She had no idea where to go, and she let her feet travel on their own accord, hoping that somehow her subconscious would lead her someplace safe.

It did. She found herself standing at the door of the Snuggly Duckling. She realized that most people wouldn't consider that place safe, but she did. She knew that the men there liked her, and they'd be kind to her. She stepped up and opened the door bravely. When she did, she was almost immediately bombarded with greetings.

"Hey, it's the blonde-lady!"

"Hi Blondie! How ya doin'?

"Hello Rapunzel!"

She made herself smile back at them. They were being just as nice as she'd hoped they'd be and there was no reason to act cross. "I'm all right," she said. She wasn't, but until recently it had been true. "And how are all of you?" She received a varying of responses, and they chatted back and forth about various things, but deep within her heart she could feel her emotional wall start to fail under the strain of acting normal when she was anything but. It broke when she finally heard the question she'd been dreading.

It came from Big Nose, which she supposed wasn't a surprise considering he was the most romantic one. "And where's Fitzy?"

She guessed that was their name for Eugene, and it made sense: Fitzy for Fitzherbert. He must have come back here sometime after their visit and told them his real name. Her eyes filled with tears. "He's….not with me," she said softly.

They exchanged looks, and she saw that anger flickered on more than one face. "Why not? Did that numbskull abandon you already?" Hookhand barked. "I swear, I'm going to rip-…."

"No, no," she said quickly. They couldn't think that Eugene did that to her. "I think… I think…he's….he's dead." Their faces all immediately changed, and Big Nose looked sympathetic. "But that's not even worst part." She hadn't thought of it much until now, but she remembered the little baby inside her and the fact that she had to take care of it all by herself with no Eugene to help her- with no one to help her.

"What's the…worst part?" he asked.

"I'm pregnant," she managed to say before she buried her face in her hands and sobbed. To be alone was bad enough, but to be alone and pregnant was more that she could bear. She felt a rough hand pat her back. "There, there, Blondie," Big Nose said.

"Yeah, it'll be all right," Vladimir said.

"We'll make sure you and the baby are okay," said Attila.

Their kindness was so welcome to her, and she made herself stop crying. She hadn't meant to completely fall apart in front of them. "Thank you," she whispered. "That's very kind of you."

"Do you know how far along you are?" Hookhand asked.

"About six, I think," she said, giving the same guess as yesterday.

"And how long had you and Fitzy been married?"

Rapunzel wasn't sure why he were asking her all this, but she answered his questions. But part of her wasn't sure if it was really any of his business. "Since October 6," she said. "So two and a half months." Two and a half months….that wasn't nearly long enough, and they hadn't even been able to live in the same house! But then tears stung her eyes again when she remembered how excited Eugene had been about the baby.

Now he wouldn't even see it.

XxXxXxXxXx

Rapunzel talked with the nice thugs for much of the day, just catching up with what they were up to lately. Most of them told her how well they were doing, and showed her their cupcakes, interior decorating, ceramic unicorns….and all sorts of other things. She did her best to act happy and interested, but she felt herself growing more and more exhausted with the effort of being upbeat when all she wanted to do was cry.

Eventually she told them that she had to rest, and they showed her to a tiny room upstairs. It wasn't anything special, but she was so tired that she didn't care much. She crawled into the bed, and she shut her eyes. She was so sleepy.

But it wasn't long before she heard them talking about her, and then she was wide awake. She couldn't help listening in on their conversation.

"Do you think she's asleep yet?" said Atila.

"Probably," Hookhand said. "She's been up there a while now."

"What do you think we should do about her?" Vladimir asked.

"She could stay here and work…as a maid or something," Big Nose suggested.

"She could get a way better job than here," Gunther scoffed. "She_ is_ a widow. She could maybe find something in the city, for a while at least. We could help her do that."

"But when she starts to get big?" Tor wanted to know.

"We could take her in again if her job doesn't want her anymore," Big Nose said.

They seemed to agree on that, but then there was short pause and she wondered what they were thinking now.

"I wonder how Fitzy died, or who killed him," Vladimir said.

Hookhand snorted. "I don't know, but if he'd knocked her up and abandoned her, I'd be first in line," he said. "But there are plenty of people out there who would love to take out Flynn Rider."

"I guess we won't know unless we ask her," Big Nose said."I wonder why her hair isn't blonde anymore too."

"Don't be stupid," Hoookhand said gruffly. "We can't ask her that yet. You have to wait until she feels better or she brings it up herself. Got it?"

They all said yes and eventually they turned to other topics.

But Rapunzel lay in the dark silence, grief and sorrow welling up in her again. Eugene was gone, and she hadn't even been able to say goodbye to him. And other than these nice thugs, she was completely alone in the world. If that wasn't bad enough, she was going to have a baby and had no way of supporting it.

Yet that wasn't what finally caused her to cry again. It was the knowledge that her baby wouldn't have a father, and if anything ever happened to her, it'd be an orphan.

Just like Eugene.

She couldn't stand the thought of it.

XxXxXxXx

The next few days passed in a blur for Rapunzel, and she couldn't remember much about them. She knew that she talked to the thugs a lot, and sometimes they even made her laugh. But they didn't see how she cried over the loss of Eugene before she went to sleep at night, and they didn't really ask her about how she felt. She supposed that was a good thing because she couldn't describe it well at all. Well, other than the fact that she hurt and grieved because he was gone, and she wanted to cry most of the time.

She wondered if they would ever talk to her personally about their conversation that she had overheard, and she soon found out that they would. On the fourth day, they told her that she was welcome to stay here as long as she liked, but they would understand if she wanted to find some kind of job in the city, where she could have a better place to raise her baby. She could understand that, but she wondered if she could even find something like that. They thought she could, especially because she was a widow, and so she considered it. Rapunzel liked being with them, but she told them that if they really thought she could find a job in the city, she'd like to look. She was quick to assure them that it wasn't because she didn't like them or anything, but a pub wasn't the best place to have a baby. She didn't tell them that while they were exceptionally nice to her, this place just didn't feel like home at all.

They completely understood, and a few of them took her to the capital city of Corona the next day. They followed her around as she looked from place to place, but most of the time she had doors shut in her face when she mentioned the baby. After so many rejections, she thought that she wouldn't be able to find anything, but then she saw a large gray building that said _Orphanage of Corona._ She soonrealized that this must be where Eugene lived when he was a young boy and she decided that she'd try to apply here. The thugs with her didn't seem to understand why, but they said she should go ahead, and they'd wait inconspicuously to see what happened. If she got a job, they would secretly slip away. She thought that was rather strange, but she accepted it and thanked them profusely for all their help. They smiled at her before walking away, leaving her to stare at the door. What if the people here wouldn't accept her either? No one seemed to want her or her baby, and she felt like crying.

She forced herself to think positively though, and she bravely knocked on the door.

An elderly woman opened the door. "Yes?" she said with a gentle smile. "Can I help you?"

Rapunzel managed to give a small smile in return. "I hope so," she said. "I was hoping that maybe I could work here."

"Well, that depends," she said, not unkindly though. "What can you do?"

"Cook, bake, clean, knit, sew, " Rapunzel said. "And I…I really like children." She didn't feel like that was too much of a stretch to say. She'd loved those little girls who did her hair...

She opened the door wider. "Then come on in," she said, another smile lighting up her face. "We could use your help. I'm Mrs. O'Grady. What's your name, dear?"

"Rapunzel," she said. "Rapunzel Fitzherbert."

Her face grew thoughtful. "Fitzherbert…..do you know Eugene then?" she asked. "He was here when he was young."

"Yes," she answered slowly. This woman knew Eugene! Yet she hated to say what she had to next. "He…was my husband."

Mrs. O' Grady's eyes filled with sadness and she clearly recognized the past tense. "He's…gone then?"

Gone….there were so many ways to express what he was, and she hated using any of them. "Yes," she said, trying to keep tears from falling. "I think he's dead." She hadn't wanted to tell about the baby this quickly, but Mrs. O'Grady knew Eugene, and besides that, her face was so sympathetic that she felt she couldn't stop the words. She didn't seem at all the type to slam the door in her face. "And I'm pregnant and all alone now." Despite her best efforts, she started to cry.

Yet she felt Mrs. O'Grady's arms around her. "It will be all right, my dear," she soothed, stroking her hair like a mother would. "You and your baby will be safe here."

Rapunzel continued to cry, but her tears weren't only ones of grief now. They were also ones of relief, because she knew that Mrs. O'Grady meant what she said.

She and the baby had found a safe haven at last.

XxXxXxXx

When Rapunzel finally managed to stop crying, Mrs. O'Grady showed her around the orphanage, and she met the other workers, a young couple that reminded her of herself and Eugene. But John and Susanna were so kind that she immediately liked them. She liked all the children here too, even though all the little boys made her think of Eugene.

After seeing almost everything, Mrs. O'Grady showed her to her own room. "It's not very big," she said, almost apologetically. "But there is a little storage building out back that we could fix into a house for you and the baby if you'd like." She opened the door, and Rapunzel knew why she'd prefixed it with that. The room wasn't large at all, just a double bed, a dresser, and a chair. But it was nice and clean, even if it was small.

"This is fine," she said, putting her bag down on the bed.

Mrs. O'Grady smiled. "All right. Well, I'm sure you'd like to get settled in, so I'll leave you to that now. Dinner is usually at five-thirty if you'd like to join us."

"I would," she said. "Thank you so much for everything."

"You're very welcome, dear," she said. "I'm so glad you're here."

Mrs. O'Grady politely shut the door behind her, leaving Rapunzel to unpack. Yet there really wasn't much to do. She folded her dresses, put them in one drawer, her books, art supplies, and her other things in another. But that didn't take much longer than fifteen minutes, and it was only three-thirty now. Dinner wasn't for another two hours. She knew that she could go downstairs and help Mrs. O'Grady, John, and Susanna if they needed it. But she couldn't do it. All she could do was crawl into bed with Emmy and Pascal and cry again into her pillow.

She missed Eugene so much. She missed talking with him, she missed laughing with him. She missed the hugs and kisses he freely gave to her. She missed the way he always smiled when he saw her.

She couldn't believe he was gone. She couldn't believe that she was a widow at eighteen. Wasn't that much too young to lose your husband, especially when you were going to have a baby?

She believed it was. Yet she found that she wanted the baby so much now that she ached if she thought she might lose it. The baby seemed like the only tie she had left to Eugene other than the necklace and her wedding ring, and as such, it was priceless.

She knew that Eugene wanted a girl, and at first she had liked that idea too. But now she wanted a boy, a little boy that just looked like him.

She wanted that more than anything, and she already had a name picked out too.

Flynn.

XxXxXxXxXx

It didn't take long for Rapunzel to settle into life at the orphanage. She might have been surprised at that, but Mrs. O'Grady, John, and Susanna were all so welcoming that even in her state of grief, she still recognized how homey they made this place for her. Besides that, she immediately loved all the little boys and girls. The girls seemed to love her, and she had received more than one sweet hug from a lot of them. The boys were more aloof, but once she told them that her husband had been one of them, they warmed up considerably. They asked her about Eugene, and she told them all about him. She managed to do that calmly, but they never saw the tears that she shed after she was all alone in her room, sobbing with grief and regret. Sometimes she couldn't help but feel that this was all her fault, and she drowned herself in a sea of if onlys. If only she had gone with Eugene right after she figured out she was pregnant, if only Mother hadn't knocked her out, if only she had woken up sooner…..then Eugene would be okay. But thinking all that was fruitless and it often made her feel worse.

One time Mrs. O'Grady caught her crying when she came to let Rapunzel know that dinner was ready. She felt embarrassed, but Mrs. O'Grady took her into her arms and stroked her hair like she was one of the orphan girls. "My poor dear," she murmured. "You must miss him so much."

Mrs. O'Grady's kind words caused her to cry even harder. "I do," she sobbed. "With every breath."

Mrs. O'Grady drew her closer. "I know you do," she said softly. "I miss him too."

She looked at her tearfully, surprised at that. "You miss Eugene?" She didn't know that Mrs. O' Grady still knew Eugene or had contact with him.

"Yes, I do," she said. "He was such a kind boy when he first came here, and all the children loved to listen to him read."

Rapunzel wiped away tears with her hand. "He was turning back into that person, Mrs. O'Grady." Eugene had been so kind to her, almost for the entire time she'd known him. It seemed like such a waste to her that he died _now_ when he was a husband and a father-to-be.

She smiled sadly. "Yes, he was. And do you know why?"

She tried to think, but her head ached from all the crying she'd done. "I'm not sure…."

Mrs. O'Grady touched her shoulder. "Because of you," she said. "I saw the difference you made in his life when he came here after your fight." At the mention of the fight, Rapunzel's cheeks heated up. She felt rather mortified that Mrs. O'Grady knew about that and she wondered why Eugene had told her about it. She noticed, because she quickly added, "He loved you so much, you know."

Another tear slipped down her cheek. Eugene had truly loved her, in a way that no one else had. "I loved him too," she whispered. "More than I thought I could love anyone."

Mrs. O' Grady wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I'm sure you did," she said.

Rapunzel didn't want to, but she found herself crying again at all the sympathy from Mrs. O'Grady. She just wished he was still here! "Will it ever stop hurting?" she choked out.

"No," she said. "I'm afraid it won't. I still miss my husband every day. But time eases the pain."

Rapunzel could only hope that one day Mrs. O'Grady would be right.

Because right now she couldn't imagine living her whole life like this.

XxXxXxXx

The realm of quiet unconsciousness turned out to be a pleasant place to be, because for him there was no pain there. The last time he'd been awake there'd been so much of it that it had been unbearable. Yet he found that consciousness was returning to him, and he wasn't entirely sure he wanted it. But he opened his eyes anyway, but all there was blackness-a never ending, horrible blackness, and he shut his eyes again, wanting to return to the warm and fuzzy place he'd been. Yet he heard a deep voice talking to him and that kept him from falling back into it. "Ah, so you're awake."

He shut his eyes, then opened them again, trying to see who was talking to him. but there was still darkness. "I guess so," he croaked. Ugh. His voice clearly betrayed that he was not all right still.

"Good," the deep voice said, and he realized it was a man's. "It's been almost a week since I found and brought you here and I-…"

He started at that and squint his eyes shut again. He'd been unconscious that long? How was he not dead then? "A week?!" he repeated weakly.

"Yes, a week," the man said calmly. "And I wouldn't get too agitated if I were you, you're still very weak. We also have a cloth over your eyes to help you."

He slumped back, unto what he realized what was a pillow. So that's why everything was black. But why was it such a _deep_ black? And why didn't he feel the cloth? "A week…" Something was horribly wrong about him being away that long, even if he wasn't completely sure at the moment why that was. Something about a girl….

"I'm Dr. Levi, by the way," he said. "And my wife and I have been looking after you for the last couple days."

At the mention of the word _wife_, he remembered the reason for the urgency, and everything else, for that matter. He was Eugene, Rapunzel was his wife, and he had been about to take her home with him because of something…something important…

A baby. That was it. She was going to have a baby, and he'd come to get her only to be pushed out of the tower by her psychotic mother. A psychotic mother that she might still be with at the tower. "Oh, no," he groaned, now overcome with panic. What had happened to her? "Rapunzel!" He sat up in the bed.

"Lie still," the doctor ordered.

"I can't!" he said urgently. "I have to get out of here. I have to find her." He tried to get up, but his head began to ache and he slumped back onto the pillow again. He was discovering why the doctor had told him that he was still weak. He couldn't see anything either, so maybe he should listen to the doctor. Maybe. But what about Rapunzel?

"Don't be foolish," Dr. Levi said. "You've just experienced major trauma to your head."

"But my wife might think I'm dead!' he protested. There was no telling what her mother had told her about him.

"Yes," Dr. Levi said. "And that could still happen if you aren't careful. Besides, there's another problem with that." He sighed deeply, and Eugene got the feeling he was missing something- missing something that could potentially be very bad.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" he couldn't help but ask.

Dr. Levi was silent, and he felt a horrible feeling of dread. "Do you know how I said that there was a cloth over your eyes and that's why you can't see?"

"Yes…" he said, not liking the direction of this conversation one bit.

"Well, that's not completely true," Dr. Levi said. "There _was _one there, but I took it off a while ago."

Eugene's mind spun, trying to figure out what Dr. Levi meant. If there was no cloth on his eyes, and his eyes were open, but he couldn't see….

No. It couldn't mean what he thought it was. It _couldn't._ "Then does that mean I'm-…"

"Yes," he said gravely. "It's entirely possible that whatever trauma you experienced has made you blind."

* * *

AN: hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year! and yes, Dr. Levi is a shout out to the amazing Zach Levi, who did the voice for Eugene.

Emma's Angel: well, sort of. She finally took control of it herself :)

loveslife: Ah, snow days! Glad you liked it.

Umbreon: :( It will get better I promise, even if it doesn't seem like it.

Misti87: glad you liked it. Sorry you didn't like the ending, but cliffhangers are good. then you want to know what happens :)

Sunny: I think we think the same thing about babies :) They're such little miracles, aren't they? I don't know, but they so are. Almost insanely cute, and I love writing cuteness about them. Thank you for the encouragement! Scary Gothel, indeed. So glad she's gone!

Awesome anime: :(

Wolfram: So true. There's no way Gothel would let her go, is there? So desperate times call for despearte measures! Besdies, I love the idea of Rapunzel cutting her own hair. GIRL POWER!

JayLaw: Glad you liked it, even if it is sad :(

Stolenfun: it will be eventually. I love happy endings!

Finn Hudson: Glad you like it!


	13. Real

**Chapter 13-Real**

_Rapunzel recognized him, and crying, threw her arms around his neck..._

_-_"Rapunzel", Brothers Grimm

Eugene couldn't believe what he was hearing. Had the doctor truly said what he'd thought he'd said? No, he thought, shaking his head. He_ had_ to be dreaming, and if he'd just open his eyes he'd wake up.

But he knew he was not. This was real- horrible, but real. "_Blind?!_" he cried.

"I'm afraid so," Dr. Levi said gently. "I'm so sorry…"

He realized that the doctor didn't know his name. "Eugene."

"Eugene," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"But how am I going to find my wife if I'm blind?" He wasn't the crying type, but he felt like he could at any second. Blind. He was_ blind_. He couldn't even comprehend it. He wouldn't see the sun again, the sky, the grass…Rapunzel. Oh, God, he realized. He wouldn't even see their child.

The thought made him want to weep and howl. Never see his baby's face….

"Well, when you feel better," Dr. Levi said, breaking into his thoughts. "I'd be willing to help you."

He thought he'd be up and out of this bed sooner than the doctor believed. He was fairly strong, after all. "I'm sure that won't take very long," he said. "Thank you for the offer."

Of course, Eugene ended up being completely wrong about that. It was a few days before he even got out of bed, and after that Dr. Levi insisted on showing him how to deal without sight- how to use his hands to feel what objects were and how use other senses like hearing to compensate. Eugene always had good hearing, but he found that he learned how to use it even better.

Dr. Levi's wife, Emily, assisted too, and showed him kindly what she had learned caring for her blind mother. It was enormously helpful, but he couldn't help but be upset and frustrated that he couldn't see. He grew tired of staying here, and he wanted to get out and find Rapunzel as soon as he could. He missed her so much and longed to see her.

But sometimes he wondered how she'd react to having a blind husband if he _did_ find her.

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile, Rapunzel was still living at the orphanage, completely oblivious to the fact that Eugene was alive. As far as she knew, he was gone and so she grieved. She didn't know if she did it correctly, but she spent much of her time crying over her loss. She just missed him so much, and she ached without him. She missed everything about him, and she missed the way they'd talked and laughed together. Often, just the everyday tasks of living were unbearably hard for her.

But there was something that kept her going: the baby. One day after she'd been at the orphanage a while, Dr. Smith came by to check on the orphans and Mrs. O'Grady insisted that he examine her too. It was strange to have a man look at her that wasn't Eugene, but Dr. Smith was so kind that she didn't mind too much. He soon confirmed that she was indeed two months pregnant. So she knew it was growing there inside her, and she had to be there for him when he was born. He needed her. Yes, she still believed wholeheartedly that it was a boy, and she couldn't wait to meet him. She began to fill out her dresses, and Mrs. O'Grady and Susanna kindly told her how to let them out as the months went by. She decided that they'd only last so long before she'd need new ones though, and with the little money she received as a salary she started saving it for new fabric. She wasn't "showing" yet, but she guessed it would only be a matter of time- maybe next month or the one after it.

When she had free time during the week, she liked to get to know the orphan girls, and she soon found that she connected with one more closely than some of the others. Her name was Grace, a sweet blonde haired girl that actually reminded her a little bit of herself. At fifteen, Grace was clearly intelligent, and she liked to draw and sew, something that they often talked about and did with each other.

A few days after New Year's, she and Grace were sewing together when she mentioned her parents. Rapunzel was somewhat surprised at that, because most of the orphans didn't want to talk about them at all, either because it was too painful or because they didn't remember them. She could understand that because sometimes she didn't want to talk about Eugene either, though in the times that she did, Mrs. O'Grady was kind enough to tell her about what he'd been like as a boy.

But Grace was talking to her now, saying something about how she liked to light candles for them in the winter, and she was going tomorrow to her church. "Will you come with me?" she asked.

She blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Will you come with me?" she repeated slowly.

She didn't know what to say. She'd only been in a church once in her whole life, and that's when she'd married Eugene. Even setting foot in one would bring memories that would only make her sad. "Oh, I don't know, Grace," she said, stumbling over her words. "I'm not sure if-..."

"Please?" she said. "It'd really mean a lot to me, and it's always easier to go with someone else."

Rapunzel sighed. Her heartstrings were being tugged, and she didn't know how she could say no. She did care about her… ."All right, Grace. I'll go."

Grace's face immediately lit up, but Rapunzel wondered how she'd be able to do this.

XxXxXxXx

The next day, Grace showed up at her door shortly after Rapunzel had finished a letter to the people at the Snuggly Duckling thanking them for all their help. She had to do something to show her appreciation, and she thought a letter would be a nice gesture.

"Are you ready?" Grace asked.

Rapunzel wasn't sure if she was, but she said yes, and buddled herself up for the cold walk to whatever church Grace wanted to go to. As it turned out, it wasn't far to the little stone church. Rapunzel actually immediately liked it, and she loved it more when she saw the beautiful stained glass windows inside. She would have liked to look at them longer, but Grace was fairly intent on her goal and she almost instantly headed for the candles. Rapunzel followed her, and watched as she smiled.

"I love doing this," Grace said.

She realized then all at once that this church _did _remind her of the one where she'd married Eugene, and something in her began to hurt. If she tried hard enough, she could picture them standing together at the altar, him smiling at her, wearing the vest she'd made for him….

She wanted to weep. "Yes," she said faintly. "It's a nice idea." She watched as Grace lit one, then another candle, though her vision was blurring.

"Do you want to light one?" Grace asked.

Rapunzel blinked. "Uh….." She hesitated for a moment, but then she decided to do it. Maybe lighting one for Eugene would make her feel better. Maybe. "All right." She lit a candle similar to Grace, but she just stared at it, stared into the flickering flame. _Oh, Eugene, why did you have to go?_ A tear trickled down her cheek, followed by another and another.

She heard Grace talk to her through her haze. "Miss Rapunzel?"

"Yes, Grace?" she said, but she felt like she was very far away.

"Are you all right?"

"I-…." She was about to say yes, but she knew she was not. Tears started streaming down her face and soon she was crying uncontrollably. Somehow Grace helped her into a pew, and she patted her back. "Tell me what's wrong," she said kindly.

"I just…miss him so much!" she sobbed, burying her face in her hands.

"Your husband?"

Rapunzel nodded, unable to speak.

Grace kindly put her arms around her, and hugged her as a friend would. "It's all right," she said softly. "Go ahead and cry."

With that, she started to cry even harder. Her tears fell so fast that she could barely even see. "Why did he have to go?" she choked out. "I needed him. The _baby _needed him."

"I don't know, Miss Rapunzel," Grace said, shaking her head. "It doesn't make any sense. I don't know why my parents had to die either."

Rapunzel stopped her weeping, feeling a little embarrassed at her breakdown. She also couldn't help feeling the slightest twinge of guilt about being so upset about Eugene when Grace had lost her mother and father at a young age. "I'm sorry, Grace," she said. "You must feel awful about your parents too."

Grace was thoughtful. "I do," she said. "But losing your husband when you're going to have a baby is terrible, Miss Rapunzel. I don't blame you at all."

"I just wish he was still here," she said softly. She tried to control herself but she almost started to cry again.

Grace squeezed her shoulder. "I know," she said. "But I think we should go back, and you can have a nice cup of cocoa. Maybe it will make you feel better. "

Rapunzel agreed, and they walked back to the orphanage together. Yet she couldn't help but feel that even though she still felt so sad, she might have gained something today.

A friend.

XxXxXxXx

When they arrived back at the orphanage, Mrs. O'Grady welcomed her back with the cup of cocoa, while Grace excused herself politely, saying something about needing to work on her knitting. Rapunzel wondered about that, but she didn't mind being alone with Mrs. O'Grady. Rapunzel welcomed the warmth of the cocoa and wrapped her hands around it.

Mrs. O'Grady smiled at her, and joined her at the table with her own cup. "How was it?"

She decided not to mention her meltdown. "Oh, it was fine," she answered, vaguely. "The church was lovely."

"Oh, yes," she said thoughtfully. "That is true. It always makes me feel close to God."

Rapunzel made herself smile. God wasn't something that entered her thoughts that often, thought she guessed she believed in him. Nothing else would explain the beauty of nature to her. But Mother had never talked about him at all. "I guess so," she said vaguely.

Mrs. O'Grady saw through her, which wasn't much of a surprise. "Haven't you ever thought about God, dear?"

"Not really," she said honestly. There was no point in lying; she was sure Mrs. O'Grady would know. She almost always knew when something was lying, and it was probably part of the reason she was such a good headmistress. "But if he took Eugene away on purpose, I don't think I like him very much."

She thought Mrs. O'Grady would be offended, but instead she laughed. "No, I can see that," she said.

"It's just I need him so much," she said. "And so does the baby. He won't have a father now, Mrs. O'Grady."

She raised an eyebrow. "He?"

"Yes," she said. "I think- I _want_- it to be a boy."

Her eyes were kind and understanding."One like Eugene?"

She felt like she should be concerned that her feelings were so transparent, but she wasn't. "Yes," she said softly. "One just like Eugene."

"Won't that be a constant reminder of him?"

"I suppose it would," she admitted. "But I don't want to forget him. There was absolutely nothing to forget. He was wonderful to me."

"Was he….happy about the baby?" she asked.

Tears welled up in her eyes at the memory of his face. "He was so happy. He was happy even before I was, though he thought it was a girl."

She smiled. "He probably wanted a girl like you."

One of the tears rolled down her cheek. "That's what he said." Although she didn't want to, she started sobbing once more, and soon she felt Mrs. O'Grady's arms around her. "I'm so sorry, dear," she murmured. "I'm so sorry..."

She knew that Mrs. O'Grady truly felt bad for her, but there wasn't anything she could do to make it better.

_Nothing _could make her feel better except Eugene coming back to her and having his arms around her again.

And that would never happen, ever.

XxXxXxXx

As soon as was humanely possible, Eugene begged Dr. Levi to let them go look for Rapunzel. He needed to see her and make sure she was all right. The suspense of not being able to know was driving him mad. After about two weeks, Dr. Levi finally relented. He admitted he didn't think he was quite ready, but he understood the need to find his wife. So after thanking and saying goodbye to Emily, they set off for the tower. Eugene didn't think she'd be there, but it didn't hurt to check right?

He managed to give enough directions that Dr. Levi was able to find it (after they stopped by his house to get his belongings), but he insisted that Eugene wait while he looked up inside. Eugene didn't like that at all, but he still waited patiently even though it was freezing cold. He stamped his feet, hoping it would help him warm up, and it helped to take the edge off.

He was still greatly relieved when he heard Dr. Levi come back though, sure he might turn into the first human snowman. "I'm sorry, Eugene," he said. "There's no one in there."

His heart grew heavy. It was just as he feared. Rapunzel's mother must have taken her away. "But surely there must be something," Eugene said desperately. There had to be some clue, some way to find her!

Dr. Levi was silent for a moment, clearly thinking. "Well, there was a lot of brown hair," he said at last. "And a black cloak. But it looked like no one had been there in days."

"Days?" he repeated, completely appalled. "But her mother could have taken her out of the country by now. How are we ever going to find her?"

"Well, let's assume for a moment that she wasn't with her mother. Let's say she was scared and alone," Dr. Levi said calmly. "Where do you think she might have gone?"

"I don't-…." He was about to say that he didn't know, Dr. Levi was loony for even asking, but there was really only one place that she might go in that case. The smallest flicker of hope began to stir in him. "The Snuggly Duckling," he said, certain he was right. "She could have gone there."

He could sense Dr. Levi's surprise. "A pub?"

"I know it sounds strange," he admitted, knowing that any rational person wouldn't suggest that a devastated girl would go to a pub. "But she made friends with the people there, and she could have gone there if she was all alone."

Dr. Levi sighed. "All right. If you think she's there, then we'll look."

"Thank you," he said, overcome with gratitude to him. Dr. Levi didn't have to do any of this. "I really appreciate it."

Dr. Levi took his arm again to help, and they went on their way to the Snuggly Duckling.

XxXxXxXxXx

The distance to the Snuggly Duckling wasn't particularly long, but it seemed to Eugene that eons passed before Dr. Levi told him that they'd arrived. He heard the creak of the door, and he'd barely caught his breath before he was bombarded with greetings:

"Fitzy!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

"Who's your friend?"

He laughed nervously. This is one of those times where _sight _would really come in handy. As it was, he couldn't tell from their tone if he was a long lost friend or someone they desperately wanted to beat up. "Hello everyone," he said, forcing a smile. "This is my…" He paused. He wasn't exactly sure what to call him. "This is Dr. Levi."

"It's nice to meet you," Dr. Levi said politely.

Hookhand and the others didn't even acknowledge his greeting, which showed once again their complete lack of class. "So why are you here? Rumor had it you were pushing up the daisies."

What a pleasant way to describe his 'death.' He coughed, uncomfortable with this whole topic. "Yes, well, I'm not," he said, trying not to sound annoyed. "But I wanted to ask you something."

"Yeah," Hookhand said. "And what's that?"

They certainly weren't going to make this easy, were they? But he wasn't about to move as much as an inch until he found out the information that he wanted. "Is Rapunzel around?"

"No, she's obviously not here, Fitzy," Hookhand said sarcastically. "Are you blind or something?"

He decided not to say that he_ was_ blind. Who knows, maybe they were mad enough to take out his hearing too. "Do you know where she is?"

They were quiet, and he wasn't sure what they were thinking. He couldn't read their faces either, which was enormously frustrating. He was used to knowing what people were thinking and feeling by their expressions, and now he had nothing. Nothing but silence.

Finally Hookhand spoke up. "Why should we tell you?"

"Excuse me?" he blurted incredulously. Okay, he was definitely annoyed now. She'd been there, he just knew it, and their not telling him was aggravating. "Maybe the small detail that she's _my wife _has slipped your mind?"

"Is she?" he retorted. "Why did you abandon her then?"

"I didn't-…." he started to give Hookhand a piece of his mind, but then he felt Dr. Levi touch his shoulder. _Stay calm. _He took a deep breath. He knew that Dr. Levi was right; yelling wouldn't help anything. "Look," he said quietly. "Her psychotic mother almost killed me and if it wasn't for Dr. Levi I'd probably be dead right now. As it is, I can't even see, which is plenty bad enough." He heard more than one gasp. "And I love Rapunzel and I need her and miss her. I have to know that she and the baby are okay. So I'm asking you_ please_ tell me where my wife is."

Hookhand was silent. "All right, Fitzy. I'll tell you."

Finally! "Thank you," he said. "Where is she?"

"She's at the orphanage in Corona."

He let out his breath. Rapunzel was there? He couldn't understand it. Why would she ever decide to go there? "The orphanage?" he croaked. "What's she doing there?"

"She has a job," he said in a way that made Eugene feel quite like a dullard. "She sent us a letter a few days ago, telling us how she's doing. Do you want to hear it?"

He knew that normally Hookhand would just hand him the letter and then he could read it himself. But everything was different now- and not in a good way. "Yes, please," he said softly.

Hookhand cleared his throat and began to read. As he did, Eugene shut his eyes, and he could hear her voice in his head as vividly as if she was standing next to him.

_January 4_

_Dear everyone at the Snuggly Duckling,_

_I wish you all a very happy new year and I hope you all are doing well. I just wanted to drop you a few lines to tell you how I am doing and to say that I don't know what I would have done without all of you, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. _

_As you might know by now, I found a job at the Orphanage of Corona, helping out with the cooking, cleaning, etc. I also spend a fair bit of time with the little boys and girls there and they have all found a place in my heart. The other employees there are very kind to me too, particularly Mrs. O'Grady. She "mothers" me, and I have to admit that it is nice to have someone care so much. Besides that, she knew Eugene when he was here, and when she thinks I can handle it, she tells me all about the little boy he was. It is fun to hear, even if it makes me sad._

_But I don't want to focus on that in this letter. My other news is that a few days ago a Dr. Smith came by to check on the orphans (it is illness season, you know) just to make sure everyone was doing all right. While he was here, Mrs. O'Grady convinced him to check up on _me! _Well, I'm pleased to say that I am indeed two months pregnant and he thinks everything is progressing as it should. I am truly happy about this, I am. It is like having a piece of Eugene still with me, and I can't wait to hold the baby in my arms. _

_Anyway, thank you so much again for all your help. Hopefully, I can come out and see you all soon._

_Love,_

_Rapunzel_

Hookhand finished reading, and even though he couldn't see it, he could feel all their eyes on him. He was fully aware that it was because Rapunzel was "indeed two months pregnant," but that had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that they weren't together right now. He was rather insulted that they thought it did. Was he capable of nothing humane in their minds? "Thank you so much for helping her," he said. "All of you. And I'm glad she's with Mrs. O'Grady. She's a wonderful lady."

"And the baby?" Hookhand barked.

He could feel himself smile genuinely for the first time in a while, mostly because he was so very glad about it. "I'm so happy about that," he said. "I hope it's a girl like her, don't you?"

He could tell that he'd caught them off guard by his positive response, and he almost felt like smirking. Touché, he thought, and a point for me finally.

"Well, of course, Fitzy," said Attila. "Better a girl like her than a boy like you."

He let out a hoarse laugh. He knew that was supposed to be another insult, and if he didn't think the same, he would have taken it as one. "I couldn't agree more," he said. Now he knew where she was, and he was incredibly eager to be with her again. "And if Dr. Levi is all right with it, I think I'd better go find her!"

"Of course," Dr. Levi said quietly.

"All right, Fitzy," Hookhand said gruffly. "But you better be good to her."

He decided a kind answer would work much better than a retort. "I will, I promise," he said. "And thanks again for helping her."

After that, he and Dr. Levi left, setting off to finally find Rapunzel.

And be reunited with her at last.

XxXxXxXxX

At the orphanage, Rapunzel was doing her best to stop thinking about Eugene, because it was so painful to think about what she'd lost. She missed him terribly, and no amount of talking or crying made her feel any better. He was always in her thoughts.

Yet it wasn't until one of the girls at the orphanage fell ill that she managed to push him out of her mind, for a little while at least. She tried her best to help Alice (because that was her name) feel better, but nothing she did seemed to help at all. She spent much of her time nursing her throughout the day and night, and the long hours were starting to wear on her. Mrs. O'Grady, Grace, and Susanna told her to rest, but she couldn't do it. She had to make sure Alice felt better. Besides, if she did rest, she'd be in bed and she'd start thinking about Eugene again. So she continued to work herself into the ground

It was only when all three of them- and John too- ordered her to bed that she finally relented. She decided that she'd just take a small nap, and then she'd be up and helpful again.

But she fell asleep for much longer than she thought she would, and when she awoke, she felt warm all over and Mrs. O'Grady insisted that she rest, that it was obvious that she was ill.

Rapunzel felt too hot and tired and her head ached too much to argue. She stayed in bed, and soon she fell into a deep and feverish slumber.

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile, while Rapunzel slept, Mrs. O'Grady and Grace were not unaware that she was very sick, and they took turns looking after her, hoping she would feel better and wake up. Alice had finally recovered, and they hoped Rapunzel would too. But she didn't, and they grew worried about her and how pale and thin she looked. One night, several days later, they both sat with her, desperately hoping she'd wake up, even for a moment. Initially, they talked quietly amongst themselves, trying to combat their worry, but soon their eyes settled on Rapunzel again and they watched her move restlessly. "Eugene," she mumbled in her sleep.

Grace looked at Mrs. O'Grady for help, but she had no idea what to do. Didn't Rapunzel remember what happened?

"Eugene," she whimpered, her hands clutching her blanket. "Eugene, come back…"

Eugene was gone, but telling Rapunzel that in her weakened state wouldn't help anything. In fact, it could make things worse. "Shh….Eugene's coming, dear," she said, conscious of the lie. "Don't worry." She patted Rapunzel's hand.

Her face relaxed, and she stopped thrashing. The tiniest hint of a smile appeared on her face.

Since she seemed calmer, she left the room, sure that Rapunzel would be okay for a few minutes, and headed for the kitchen. Grace was close on her heels, but she was quiet until they were out of earshot.

"What was that?" Grace asked when they were in the kitchen.

"What was what?" she said nonchalantly. Of course, she knew exactly what Grace was getting at. But how could she tell Rapunzel her husband was dead?

"Why did you tell her that he's coming when he's not?"

She sighed deeply, and met Grace's gaze. "I couldn't tell her that he wasn't, Gracie. How could I do that when she's so sick?"

She nodded, and she could tell that she understood now. Her eyes filled with sympathy. "It _is_ awful hearing her cry for Eugene," Grace said.

"I know, Gracie," said Mrs. O'Grady, her heart reaching out to the girl upstairs. Rapunzel was such a sweet girl, and she couldn't imagine how awful she must be feeling. And pregnant on top of everything else! It was enough to make her weep herself. "I just wish Eugene was here…" Surely Rapunzel would feel better if he was.

She heard a knock at the door, and she went to answer it. She nearly stumbled backward when she saw the man standing there, a man with familiar brown hair and eyes. "Eugene?"

It was unbelievable. She'd just said that she wished he was here, and now he was? With another man with him? She wanted to pinch herself to see if she was dreaming.

"Hello, Mrs. O'Grady," Eugene said. "This is Dr. Levi." Dr. Levi nodded in greeting, with a small smile. "Is…is Rapunzel here?"

Mrs. O'Grady decided not to ask the question burning in her mind- _aren't you supposed to be dead- _and instead told him the truth. "Yes, she is." His eyes immediately brightened, and he almost looked relieved. "But I'm afraid she's very sick, Eugene."

She saw how his whole countenance fell. "Sick?"

"I'm afraid so," she said gently. "About three days ago she was helping one of our girls who was sick and unfortunately she caught it herself."

Dr. Levi immediately spoke up. "Can I look at her?"

"Of course," she said.

But inwardly she could only hope that he'd be able to help.

XxXxXxXx

While Dr. Levi examined Rapunzel, all Eugene could do was sit and worry- and it was one of the most miserable experiences of his life. He'd tried so hard to find her, and now she was sick? So sick that she hadn't woke up in at least two days? He felt like this was all his fault. If he was here, none of this would happen, and she'd be well right now.

Mrs. O'Grady proved to be a kind companion though and it wasn't long before he told her all about Rapunzel, her mother, and what happened to him including the fact that she couldn't see. She expressed her characteristic sympathy, and he was glad she didn't say anything about how he was lucky to be alive. He already knew that.

He was about to ask her how Rapunzel had been faring before this, and to thank her for taking her in when he heard the door open. He knew Dr. Levi had come out, and his heart pounded. "How is she?" he asked anxiously.

Dr. Levi's voice was grave. "Well, she's a very sick girl," he said. "She needs a lot of rest and care."

Eugene could barely stand to ask the next question. If Rapunzel was that ill, couldn't that mean...? "And…the baby?" He didn't know what he'd do if Dr. Levi said it was gone, and he held his breath.

"The baby seems to be all right at the moment," he said, and Eugene exhaled. "But Rapunzel has clearly lost some weight that she needs to have, and it could hurt the baby in the long run. There is a chance that even if she pulls through quickly she could lose it." He cleared his throat. "But I should probably get back in there…"

"Of course, Dr. Levi," Mrs. O'Grady said, while Eugene was just trying to process what he'd heard. Rapunzel was sick and she could lose the baby. Could this be any worse?

After Dr. Levi left, he buried his face in his hands. He was completely overwhelmed. "I can't believe this," he muttered to himself.

"What was that, Eugene?" Mrs. O'Grady asked.

He spoke louder. "I can't believe this," he said. "I try so hard to find her and now she might be….might be…." He trailed off. He couldn't even say the words. He couldn't imagine Rapunzel not in his world.

He felt her hand pat his back. "She'll be okay," she reassured him. "I can feel it."

"But what if the baby isn't?" he said. "You heard the doctor…."

"Then you and Rapunzel will be sad," she said. "But you'll get through it together. And you could try to have another one."

"It wouldn't be the same," he said bitterly. _No_ baby would be the same.

Mrs. O'Grady was silent for a moment. "No, I'm sure it wouldn't," she said softly.

He heard the creak of the door open, and he wasn't sure why the doctor had come out so fast. Had something terrible happened? "Eugene?" Dr. Levi said.

His head jerked up. "Yes?"

"You might want to come in," he said. "She's….well…" He stopped, apparently trying to fiqure out what to say. "She's asking for you."

He didn't question it, even though he wondered how Rapunzel could call for him if she thought he was dead. He immediately leapt to his feet. "Take me to her, please."

Dr. Levi took his arm and helped him to Rapunzel's room and into a chair. "Though this isn't medically sound," he said quietly to Eugene. "I actually think she'd benefit from knowing you're here. Just listen to her."

He did. She groaned, and he could sense her turmoil even if he couldn't see her. But she didn't say his name. He felt so awful for her, and he wished he could be the sick one instead of her.

"I'll be outside," Dr. Levi said. "Call me if you feel that there's any change."

"I will," he assured him.

Once the doctor left, he expected nothing to happen. She seemed to have settled down, and she stopped groaning. It wasn't longer than ten minutes before she started murmuring again though, and he realized what the doctor was talking about.

"Eugene," she whimpered in her sleep, her distress obvious. "Eugene…."

At that, he couldn't stay still. He had to help her. He fumbled around before finding her hand and holding it. "Shh….I'm here," he said softly. "I'm here, Rapunzel."

"Don't _ever _leave me again," she whispered.

"I won't," he said, meaning it with all his heart. "I promise."

He could hear her breathing even out and he knew she was sleeping soundly now. Eventually, he closed his own eyes, and joined her in sleep.

XxXxXxXx

Through Rapunzel's fog of sleep, she could feel someone hold her hand. But it wasn't Mrs. O'Grady's work-worn hand or Grace's small one. It was larger and coarse but vaguely familiar at the same time.

It…almost felt like Eugene's. It couldn't be his though, she argued to herself. He was gone, dead. Even in her fevered state, she still knew that. When she was sleeping, she had thought that he had touched her hand and spoke to her. But that was only a dream, wasn't it?

She opened her eyes, just to see. The light coming from her window was dim, and so she guessed that it must be early morning. She turned away from the window to look toward whoever was holding her hand.

It was Eugene.

She opened and shut her eyes, once then twice, completely certain that she was dreaming still or that she was hallucinating. It couldn't be him, could it? He was close to her, sleeping in the chair next to her bed- close enough to touch. She reached out and trailed her fingers along the side of his face, noticing as she did that there was a small scar hiding beneath the usual lock of hair that often fell into his eyes. Yet his face was as dear and familiar to her as always. "Eugene?" she whispered. He stirred in his sleep, and his grip tightened on her hand. "Eugene?" she said, slightly louder.

He blinked twice before finally opening his eyes. She noticed that they were unfocused, and she wasn't sure if he was looking at her or not. But his face still relaxed into a smile. "Rapunzel," he said. He began to say something else, but she didn't give him a chance. She threw her arms around him, practically pulling him onto the bed with her. She started to cry as she pressed her cheeks close to his, and soon his face was completely wet with her tears.

It was only when he drew her close to him, almost clinging to her, that she realized that some of the tears were his own.

* * *

AN: I am overwhelmed by the amazing response to the last chapter! you all are amazing and i appreciate your encouragement so much ;)

Sunny: poor Rapunzel indeed. But things are starting to look up for her. wink

hanza: thanks! I'm so glad you like it. And here is your update!

loveslife: updated :)

hpdragon: wow, i'm so glad you like it. can't say about his vision, it's a secret! :p

nadinha: Thanks! you too! I don't like Gothel either; i think she's awful, and I'm so glad she's gone!

whiterainbows: I hate when they're apart too; it's so sad :(

Sunny Bauldeaire: Don't worry, no dirty stuff here! personally don't like it either, so there won't be any :) I'm so glad you like the story, and thank you for saying I'm descriptive. That means a lot. Poor Rapunzel :( Poor Eugene too!

Mina: I did. Such a good movie!

Carla: update :)

Vampire Chick: Can't say :) I'm glad Gothel is gone too! I could have tortured all of you by dragging it out, but I decided not to. haha

FrannyChan: glad you like it!

Emma's Angel: I love Dr. Levi. I'm thinking his first name should be Charles :)

VlightPhase: Glad you like it!

ashe: poor Eugene :(

misti87: glad you like it!

jellybelly: here's your update :)

hera: i"m glad you liked the chapter!

Umbreon: oh, me too! that would be nice, wouldn't it?

thank you so much for reading, everyone!


	14. Recover

**Chapter 14-Recover**

_"Two of her tears fell into his eyes, and they became clear once again, and he could see as well as before."_

_-"Rapunzel," Brothers Grimm _

Eugene was no crier. He never had been, and he probably never would be. Something about being an orphan and a thief had knocked that right out of him. But now, holding Rapunzel after the days of searching for her, he couldn't help but shed a few tears. He couldn't help it. He was so relieved to be with her again. Althought she was sick, she was alive. He held her tightly in his arms, not willing to let her go for a second.

Rapunzel herself had no qualms about crying. His face was almost completely wet with all the crying she'd done. Her tears kept landing in his eyes, which was a most uncomfortable sensation. It stung, actually. He kept blinking, trying to get them out.

But each time he did, he began to see blobby colors. Then his vision grew better and better until he could see perfectly- as well as he had before. He gazed around in surprise. There was the room he was in, the bed, Emmy sleeping at the foot of it…

And Rapunzel. _His _Rapunzel. His _beautiful_ Rapunzel whose tears had somehow magically cured his blindness. Now he saw her red-rimmed eyes, flushed cheeks, the white of her nightgown, and the brownness of her hair. As much as he liked her hair before, he loved that it was brown. After all, he had brown hair himself.

He touched the ends. "Rapunzel, your hair is brown," he said, a hint of wonder in his voice. Had she cut it? She must have. He was glad she did.

She started to cry again, though he wasn't sure how telling her hair was brown could cause that. But he still wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort her. "Don't cry," he said softly.

"I can't help it, Eugene," she said brokenly. "I thought you were dead."

He soon discovered that the best thing to do was just let her cry. She buried her face in his shoulder, and completely sobbed, like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. He stroked her back, trying to make her feel better. He thought it was working, because she eventually stopped crying. He expected some kind of hug or something, but instead she pulled away from him, and smacked his fist wasn't huge, but it still hurt. "Ouch," he cried. "What was that for?" He rubbed his shoulder, wincing.

Her eyes flashed."Don't you _ever _scare me like that again, Eugene!"

He just stared at her. "What?"

"Don't ever leave me alone like that," she said. "This baby needs its daddy, and-….and-…." Her face crumpled, and he realized that she wasn't really mad. She'd just missed him so much, and she'd thought he was never coming back. Her eyes dropped down to her hands

"Listen," he said gently. He titled her face up with his hand. "I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."

"You…promise?" she said hopefully.

She was so earnest, looking at him with those beautiful green eyes of hers. "I promise," he reassured her, his voice quiet.

As she slumped back onto her pillow, another tear trickled down her cheek. "I don't feel very good, Eugene," she said softly.

"I know you don't," he said. That much was obvious by the paleness of her face. "I'm so sorry, Blondie." Her hand was lying limp on the bed, and he took it in his. He gave it a gentle squeeze, unsure what else to say. He felt like it was completely his fault; like if he'd been here, she wouldn't be so sick. He was _supposed_ to take care of her.

"Not your fault…." she murmured, as if she'd read his mind.

She still looked so tired and weak. He frowned. Although she'd woke up, it was clear she was ill. "Maybe you should rest more."

Her eyes slowly shut halfway. "But you won't leave, will you, Eugene?" she whispered.

"No, of course not," he assured her. He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss, and he realized how much he'd missed it, had missed _her_. "Sleep well."

He watched her smile sleepily, and her eyes closed all the way. Soon her breathing was slow and even, which he knew meant she was asleep again. He sat there, continuing to watch over her, but soon he heard the door open.

Dr. Levi came in. "Hello Eugene," he said quietly. "I heard you talking….I guess that means she feels better?"

He nodded slightly. "Yes, but she's sleeping again."

Dr. Levi smiled. "I thought you being here would help." The doctor listened to her heart, then he moved down to her stomach.

Eugene's heart clenched. He knew Dr. Levi was listening for the baby. Mrs. O'Grady's words from yesterday echoed in his mind, and she was right. He knew that they could have another one.

But he didn't _want _another one. He wanted this one, more than he'd ever wanted anything- more than the crown and the island combined. He didn't know what he would do if he said it was gone. "Can you….hear it?" he whispered hoarsely.

Dr. Levi looked up and smiled. "Yes," he said finally. "I can. It's a little fainter than I'd like, but it's steady."

He almost fell over in relief. Their baby was still all right. "Oh good."

Dr. Levi studied him with a thoughtful brow. "But how did you know that's what I was doing?" Suddenly realization dawned on him. "Can you…can you see, Eugene?"

"Yes," he said. "I can." He didn't elaborate much about it.

He frowned thoughtfully. "How is that possible?"

He glanced at Rapunzel, and he motioned to the doctor. "We should talk outside," he said quietly. They both walked outside, and Eugene found himself telling the doctor everything from the day they met, to her healing hair and the fact that her somehow the last of her power must have come through her tears. He knew it sounded ridiculous, and he hoped Dr. Levi didn't think he was headed for insanity.

To Dr. Levi's credit, he didn't scream or run away. Maybe it was because he was a doctor, and he made a living having a level head. He listened calmly, and was silent for a few moments after he finished. "Well," he said at last. "That's some story, Eugene."

"It's all true," he said, trying not to sound defensive.

Dr. Levi smiled reassuringly. "Oh, I believe you," he said. "It does sound extraordinary though."

"I know," he said, half to himself. "It does." It sounded crazy to him too, but he realized that nothing about his relationship with Rapunzel had been anything else. Wonderful, undoubtedly, but crazy nonetheless.

"Eugene?"

He realized that Rapunzel was calling for him, and he glanced at the doctor. He knew that he'd drifted off, and he hadn't actually finished their conversation.

"Eugene?" She sounded almost frantic now, and he gave an apologetic smile to the doctor. He quickly walked back in her room. She was sitting up, and as soon as she saw him, she threw her arms around him. "I thought I only dreamed you," she whispered.

He sat on the bed, and pulled her close. "You didn't," he said, inches from her ear. He kissed her hair. "I'm not going anywhere."

"I missed you so much," she whispered

"I missed you more," he said.

She met his eyes. "Really?"

He could just tell her, but he felt rather mischievous. He leaned in and kissed her deeply. "Does that tell you how much?"

A happy smile lit up her face. "Yes!" She snuggled into his hug, and rested her head on his shoulder. "I'm so glad you're back," she said softly.

He nestled his head on hers. It was so wonderful to hold her like this. "Me too." He couldn't describe how happy he was to have her in his arms, and to know that she was all right-and no one _– no one-_ would split them up this time.

Suddenly Rapunzel pulled away, a horrified look on her face. "Oh, no, Eugene," she said, sitting straight up. "Is the baby okay?"

He touched her shoulder and smiled. "Relax, Blondie," he said. "Dr. Levi says it's fine."

She slumped back onto her pillow. "Oh, good." She let out a deep breath. "Good," she repeated softly.

"But Dr. Levi also thinks that you should stay in bed for at least another few days," said a voice from the doorway.

Eugene whirled around, hoping that the doctor hadn't been watching them that long. Although there was nothing wrong with kissing his wife, it'd be odd if Dr. Levi saw it. It would be embarrassing, actually. But Dr. Levi said nothing either way.

"Oh, all right," said Rapunzel, though she didn't look too happy about it. Eugene knew that was because she wasn't the kind who liked to be idle or sit in bed for extended periods of time. Not when there were people to talk to, and sunshine to see.

"But I'll keep you company," he said, giving her a smile. Now that he was here, he was certain she'd be well in no time.

As it happened, Eugene thought she'd only have to rest for a few days, and then she'd be up and about again. Yet it turned out that he was wrong about that. Even after Rapunzel felt better, Dr. Levi insisted that stay in bed for at least a few days more because of the baby. Rapunzel wasn't thrilled in the least, but Eugene, Susanna, Grace, and Mrs. O'Grady helped to make her feel better about it. Rapunzel tried her best to be a good patient because she knew that all Dr. Levi did was for her and the baby's good. She and Eugene both knew that her illness hadn't helped the baby, and if she wasn't careful, she could lose it.

She didn't though and she eventually grew well again. When she did, Dr. Levi took his leave. He needed to return to his wife. Eugene understood, but he had found Dr. Levi (or Charles, as he later insisted he be called) to be a friend. He missed him, and Rapunzel did too. It was probably because she liked everyone, but he was sure it was because Charles was simply a very nice and a caring man.

But life went on after his departure, with Eugene and Rapunzel enjoying many happy days together.

XxXxXxXx

One morning, a week after Dr. Levi left, Rapunzel awoke feeling the best she had in days. She didn't feel nauseous for once, and she knew it was going to be a good day. Happiness bubbled up in her at the thought of a new morning. A new morning with unending promise and Eugene right next to her, as he had been since he'd come here. She turned over to look at him and she smiled. He continued to sleep, oblivious to her and the rest of the world. It wasn't too surprising to her that she woke up before him. After all, Eugene had never struck her as an early-morning person.

Accidently-on purpose, really- she brushed his foot with her own. As she pulled hers away, she giggled. His toes were like giant ice blocks. She glanced over at him, hoping he was still asleep. If he'd caught her, she'd be overwhelmed with embarrassment.

But his eyes were still shut, his breathing even. Good, she thought. She hadn't woke him up. She thought about what she wanted to do that day, but she thought about his cold toes too. She didn't want him to have cold toes. Maybe if Emmy moved off of her feet and onto his that would help. Hers were warm, after all. So she pushed her over to his side. She yowled, like cats often do when their sleep is disturbed, but she still settled on his feet. She smiled in satisfaction. "Good kitty," she whispered. She nestled under the covers, but she couldn't resist touching his toes again. Cold, but slightly warmer. Good. She looked at him again, thinking he was cute when he slept. One of his locks of hair fell into his eyes, and she resisted the urge to push it away.

Suddenly his eyes popped open. "What are you doing, Rapunzel?"

Heat flooded her face. He'd caught her. "No….nothing," she stammered.

"Then why were you touching my feet?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "And why is your cat sitting on them?"

"Your toes are cold," she said. She knew that didn't explain much, but what should she say?

He studied her, like he was trying to unlock the mystery of her mind. "My toes are cold, or my _toes _are _cold?" _

She felt like there was some kind of connotation that she was supposed to be understanding, but for the life of her she couldn't figure it out. She said what she meant ninety percent of the time. But by the way he was smirking at her now, she had a feeling she knew what he meant. "Eugene, I meant your toes are cold, not something weird that you're thinking about with that strange head of yours."

He laughed. "It took you that long to get it?"

"Well, of course," she said primly. "I say what I mean and mean what I say. If I _wanted_ you to kiss me, I'd say 'Eugene, just stop talking and kiss me already.'"

Another laugh escaped his mouth, then he drew her into his arms and kissed her. "Don't mind if I do," he said, grinning. He held her loosely, and she thought he might let her go. Maybe he was ready to get up.

But she was not. This was the first morning that she felt well when she woke up and with him by her side. All she wanted was to enjoy it. She took his arms and tightened them around her. She met his eyes, which had a twinge of confusion in them. "Don't," she said. "Don't let go of me, Eugene."

He gave her an understanding smile, and he pulled her close to him. He brushed a kiss on her temple. "You don't have to worry about that," he said gently. "It will never happen."

She knew that, but it never hurt to hear it again. He continued to hold her, but he drew slightly away, his hand coming to rest on her stomach. She looked at him, and she could tell what he was thinking.

His eyes filled with a mixture of happiness and awe. "Our baby's in there, Rapunzel," he whispered.

She smiled at him and her own hand covered his. "I know. And I'm so glad, Eugene."

As he smiled, his eyes crinkled at the corners and he wrapped his arms around her. She felt joy well up in her and she felt how she always did when he held her:

Warm, safe, and loved.

XxXxXxXx

Soon after Rapunzel grew well, she began to eat more ravenously and she started to gain weight again. She looked healthy again, and she radiated her characteristic happiness.

Eugene watched it happen. But as he did, he grew worried. He was concerned that now that he was in the capital, the guards could find him and haul him away. And what would happen to Rapunzel and their baby then?

No one here except Mrs. O'Grady and Rapunzel knew that he was Flynn Rider, but he couldn't be sure how long that would last. He realized that Rapunzel liked it here, and he did too. He liked the fellow workers, and he enjoyed helping the children that were very much like him when he was young. All they wanted was someone to care, and he was beyond pleased everyone who worked here did. If circumstances were different, he would love to stay here.

But they were not. He couldn't escape that nagging sense of uneasiness. He feared that somehow the guards of Corona would track him here and haul him into jail. He had to prevent that from happening, and so one day, he confronted Rapunzel about it in Mrs. O'Grady's office. He told her to come talk to him, and she met him there after lunch.

As soon as she was there, he shut the door. Without further ado, he plunged into it. "We need to talk, Rapunzel."

She blinked at him, clearly surprised at the abruptness. "What about, Eugene?"

"We need to talk about our living situation," he said. "Do you want to stay here or go move somewhere else?"

"I don't have any desire to move," she said. She smiled softly to herself. "I just really like it here, Eugene."

He already knew that, and his heart grew heavy. He wished with everything in him that he did have to say this, but he did. "I know you do, Rapunzel," he said. "But we happen to be sitting on the guards' watering hole."

She shook her head, clearly very confused. "What does that even mean, Eugene?"

He decided to say it as plainly as he could. "I can't stay here or the guards will arrest me and string me up," he spoke as slowly as he could.

Rapunzel still looked bewildered. "String…you up?"

"Hang me, Rapunzel!" he said, completely exasperated. "Put a noose around my neck and kill me! Do you want to make me figure out how many ways there are to say dead before you understand?"

She blinked, and he could see tears in her eyes. He'd made her cry. He hated himself for making her cry.

"Yes," she said in a tiny voice. "I_ do_ understand, Eugene." Her head drooped. "Excuse me." She ran out of the room, and he stared after her.

He groaned. He didn't need to have a genius to tell him that he'd hurt her feelings- and made her cry. He felt like a slug. No, lower than a slug. Well, he'd better go after her. It was the only thing to do.

He found her in their room, sprawled across the bed, crying into her pillow. He sat down, and touched her shoulder. "Rapunzel…."

She immediately tensed up, which wasn't like her at all. Usually she melted. "Rapunzel, I'm sorry." She said nothing, but she did stop crying. "Please, talk to me." More silence from her, which wasn't reassuring at all. Generally she'd accept his apology by now.

Suddenly she sat up, and irritation was all over her face. "You don't have to be so sarcastic, Eugene," she said coldly. "I'm not stupid, you know."

Eugene sat back, completely shocked by her reaction. Rapunzel actually sounded…._mad_. He didn't think he'd _ever_ heard her mad, not at him anyway. "I know you're not stupid…" he began.

She stood up now, eyes flashing. "Oh really? Well, you could have fooled me." She left the room in a huff. Eugene sighed, but he left too. He quickly followed her, and she raced to the front door, slamming the door in his face.

He stared at it. He should go find her, but she was angry. Probably angrier than he'd ever seen her.

"What was that about, Eugene?"

He turned around to see Mrs. O'Grady coming up behind him. "We fought again, and this time _she's_ the mad one," he said glumly. "I don't understand it."

Mrs. O'Grady snorted, then she started to laugh. "What are you laughing at?" he said indignantly. If Rapunzel being furious wasn't enough, now Mrs. O'Grady was laughing at him. There was only so much humiliation he could take for one day.

"You," she said, with another laugh. "It's just funny. Of course, Rapunzel's more easily angry. She's pregnant! What did you expect?"

He slumped against the wall. Mrs. O'Grady was right. He was lucky she hadn't been angry with him earlier. "I don't know," he muttered. "But she doesn't seem like herself."

She nodded. "She probably isn't. You'd do well to be patient with her, Eugene."

He pushed himself away and stopped slumping. "I know that, Mrs. O'Grady," he said flatly. He went to the door, pulling on his coat. "But as much as I'd like to chat, I need to go find her."

She blinked, clearly surprised at his shortness. "Of course, Eugene."

"Thanks," he said, opening the door. He shoved his hands in his pockets, thinking that he wished that she'd picked a warmer day for this. The late January air was cold, and there were many other things he'd rather do.

He wandered around aimlessly for at least an hour, trying to find her, hiding from guards all the while. Every single time it happened, he knew that he was right. They needed to get out of here. They_ had_ to get out of her.

He eventually ended up at the docks where they'd taken their boat ride. That's where he finally found her.

Rapunzel was sitting on the dock, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her shoulders were hunched forward, almost like she was completely defeated. He couldn't tell, but he thought she might have been crying. He quietly sat down next to her, but he didn't touch her, even though he wanted to. It hadn't worked well the last time. "Hey," he said softly. "What are you doing? It's cold out here."

She glanced at him, and her eyes were red. She _had _been crying. He cursed himself again for making her so upset. "Hello, Eugene," she said flatly.

Ooo, she still sounded mad. What was he going to do now? They both continued to sit there in silence. Eugene struggled to find something to say. "The lake looks pretty, doesn't it?"

She just looked at him, then her eyes returned to the water. "I guess so."

He decided that the best thing to do was apologize. Small talk hadn't worked at all. "Look, Rapunzel," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry."

She studied him. "Are you really?" she said. "Because you really sound sorry."

He sighed. It was time for major damage control, and he bit back the retort about how he wouldn't be here, turning into a human snowman if he wasn't. He took her hands, stroking them. "Rapunzel, I'm so_ so_ sorry for hurting your feelings. I didn't mean to."

She stared at him at him for a long moment, and she eventually sighed. "Do you really mean that?"

He debated about whether to say yes or just kiss her. He decided on the latter, so he leaned in and kissed her gently. "Yes," he said, smiling. "Will you forgive me?"

Her lips twitched, and then she smiled too. "Yes," she said. "I will."

He pretended to be relieved. He wiped his brow."Good," he said. "Because I'm freezing."

They walked back to the orphanage hand and hand, and Eugene was glad hat she'd forgiven him.

XxXxXxXx

Once they walked back to the orphanage, darkness had fallen and it was time for dinner. Rapunzel was still noticeably quiet to Eugene, but she acted pleasant enough. He knew that their conversation wasn't over, though. He was sorry that he'd upset her, but they still couldn't stay here. When they returned to their room, Eugene brought up where they lived again. "Rapunzel, we still need to talk about where we're going to live."

"I don't want to leave here, Eugene," she said in a low voice.

"I know you don't," he said, trying to sound patient and understanding. The last thing he wanted to do was repeat his blunder. "But I just don't know if we can stay, Blondie."

"Why not, Eugene?" she asked.

Seriously, he thought. Did they have to go through this again? "Rapunzel, do I have to tell you again about guards, jail, and nooses?"

"No," she said. "But they're looking for Flynn Rider, which isn't you."

He laughed slightly. "Rapunel, I might be Eugene, but I look just Flynn."

"But they're_ looking _for_ Flynn_," she said again.

He couldn't believe that she didn't understand this. He was Eugene Fitzherbert, but he still was Flynn to every else in this city. "Yes, but I look like Flynn. I_ am_ Flynn."

She sighed, and he could tell she was exasperated too. She shook her head. "You're_ not_ Flynn," she said emphatically. "But how about this, Eugene. We'll stay here until it seems like you could be in danger."

He already was in danger. They didn't need to wait. One careless word, one wrong move and he'd be back in jail faster than she could say floating lanterns. "I'm in danger every minute," he cried. What would it take for him to get through to her?

Rapunzel stared at him, but she didn't say a word. She slumped onto the bed, and her face fell into in her hands. He felt guilt well up in him, because he knew he had made her upset. Again. How could he have said this any different though? It was the truth.

She looked up at him, eyes misty. "All right, Eugene," she said quietly. "We can go."

Hearing that didn't give him the feeling of triumph that he thought it would. "Are you sure?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Yes," she said firmly.

He knew she was not. If she was, she wouldn't look like she was on the verge of tears. "No, you aren't," he said. "You still want to stay."

A tear slipped down her cheek. "What I want, Eugene, is for you to be safe."

He sat down next to her, and drew her into his arms. He didn't know what to say to her. Nothing he could say would make her feel any better. He knew that for sure when she buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing.

And all he could do was continue to hold her, wishing that things could somehow be different.

XxXxXxXx

The next few days seemed to rush by for Rapunzel, a blur of tears and telling Mrs. O'Grady, Grace, Susanna, John, and all the others about their imminent departure. Some of the younger girls didn't understand why she had to go, but most of them did. Grace did, although she cried when she told her. Rapunzel cried too. Grace was probably the best- the only- friend she'd had in her life. Now she might never see her again. But how could she do anything else? Eugene was her husband.

Mrs. O'Grady understood completely too, though she saw her talking to Eugene once. He never told her what she said, and Rapunzel wondered about that. But Mrs. O'Grady told her that her place was with her husband and she needed to go with him. Rapunzel knew that, and she also knew that Mrs. O'Grady was correct that Eugene was right in this instance. It didn't make it any easier for her though, and she cried some when she knew Eugene wasn't around. She didn't want to make him feel bad. She was fully aware that he felt just as sorry as she was, and if he could change things he would. But that was impossible, and she realized that.

The night before they left, Rapunzel followed her normal bedtime routines even though everything was going to change again. Routine was comforting to her, and she savored each moment. She changed into her nightgown, made sure Emmy was settled in, and Eugene soon joined her. After he was there, she began to brush her hair like she usually did. She could feel his eyes on her, and she turned around and looked at him. "Why are you staring at me, Eugene?"

He blinked at her, and gave her a half smile. "It sounds weird, but I like watching you brush your hair. It's cute."

She wondered if she should find that odd, but she thought it was sweet, just like Eugene himself. She held out the brush to him. "Do you want to?"

Almost tentatively he took it from her, which was never a word she associated with him. She turned around, and she could feel him start to brush it. As she did, her mind flashed back to when they'd returned to the tower after her birthday, and he'd undone her braid. She remembered feeling embarrassed then, but now there was something comforting about it, almost relaxing. He was very careful not to tug or pull when he hit a knot.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your hair?" he said inches from her ear. His breath tickled her cheek.

She thought about it, but she couldn't think of a time when he had. He'd mentioned her eyes, but not her hair. Besides, he was so close that she had a hard time focusing. Maybe he had and she just couldn't remember it. "No."

"Well, I do," he said. "It's so pretty. Like a….really shiny waterfall. Or something. And I always had a thing for brunettes."

She knew he meant that as a sincere compliment. "Thank you."

She felt his fingers touch her hair now, and she loved it. She thought that if she was a cat like Emmy it would be the equivalent of somebody petting her fur. Little shivers of pleasure crept up her spine, and she wished he'd kiss her instead of talking.

"It's so soft too," he continued. "Like silk."

"Thank you, Eugene."

He put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. He cupped her cheeks with his hands. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said. She saw a smile tug at his mouth before he leaned in and kissed her- just like she'd wanted him to.

Yet Rapunzel knew full well that the next morning they would leave here, and she didn't want to. But for right now, she was going to just enjoy being here, with Eugene.

Tomorrow would take care of itself.

* * *

AN: I'm so sorry that this took so long for me to put up. School started back up, and that was a distraction for sure. This chapter was also a doozy to write, which doesn't really make any sense at all. But I hope you like it anyway. Thank you so much for all the feedback. It's so encouraging to me!

Zerocchi: thank you! i'm glad you like it :)

Misti 87: thank you.

Sunny: no problem :) Thank you for the review. I love the part with Grace and the church too. I really like Grace. I think it's cute that he wants a girl and she wants a boy too, but it makes sense.

Guest: thank you!

loveslife: as you can see, it worked out. :)

whiterainbows: thank you! I'm glad they're back together too.

tangled4ever: yay, he is!  
JayLaw: wow, thank you. :)

jellybelly: :)

Vlightphase: I'm glad they found each other too. They can't stay apart for long!

Wolfram: Well, then there wouldn't be much of a story, would there? ;)

Carlaisbel: :)

Ashe: I'm happy they're together. It's so fun to write fluff for them.

hera98: yay!

VampireChick: but cliffhangers keep people reading, haha. I thought of postponing it, but I'm glad I put it in the last chapter too. No reasons to draw it out just to torture you all. ;)

Sierra: thanks for the feedback!


	15. Reckoning

**Chapter 15-Reckoning**

_Sometimes things come to light that should have remained hidden…._

The next morning dawned cold and gray, and it came too soon for Rapunzel. As usual though, she woke before Eugene, and she lay for a while, just thinking about how she wished they didn't have to go. She had made friends here,_ good_ friends, and her heart ached at the thought of never seeing them again. Grace was so kind, as was Susanna. Besides them, Mrs. O'Grady had taken her in when she was at the lowest point in her life, when she had nowhere else to go. She had been like a second mother to her. How could she leave them all?

She knew the answer to that. He was sleeping right next to her. He'd kissed her before they went to bed. He was the father of her baby. Her husband.

Her Eugene.

She sighed, shifting toward him. She loved him fiercely, but that wasn't going to make this any easier.

"Rapunzel?"

She looked over at him. He was awake now, his eyes intent on hers. She felt slightly surprised that he had woken up already, but he had wanted to leave as early as possible. "What are you thinking about?"

She shook her head. She wasn't going to tell him how sad she was. "Nothing major, Eugene, " she said. "Just how much I love you."

The corners of his mouth turned upward in a clear smile, and then his hands cradled the side of her face and he kissed her. "Well," he said when he drew away from her. "As much as I'd like to sit here and kiss you all day, we should probably get ready to go."

She knew he was right. They both dressed quickly, and put the packed the last few things. Once they finished, they went downstairs and said farewell to Mrs. O'Grady, Susanna, John, and Grace. It was one of the hardest things that Rapunzel had ever done in her whole life. Letting go after her hugs to Mrs. O'Grady and Grace felt like her heart was tearing in two. But she managed to do it, knowing that it was the right to do, and she and Eugene left the orphanage, and the city, taking their bags, some food, and her pets with them.

But Rapunzel still knew she'd left something behind, like a piece of her heart.

XxXxXxXxXx

As they walked away from the city, Rapunzel tried very hard not to cry, but she couldn't quite do it. Hot tears trickled down her cheeks, blurring her vision. She was going to miss them all so much! She felt a warm hand take hers, squeezing it gently. She looked over at Eugene, knowing that he must have sensed her turmoil. He didn't say anything, only gave her a sympathetic smile.

She attempted to smile back, but she had a feeling it was more of a grimace.

"Rapunzel," he said kindly. "You know we can always come back and visit."

She smiled bravely. She knew he was right, and she appreciated the fact that he was even _willing_ to come back. "Of course," she said brightly. "And maybe by then we can show them all the baby."

He gave her a large and tender smile. "There's my optimistic Rapunzel," he said affectionately.

She continued to smile, but she didn't feel like his optimistic Rapunzel at all.

How could she be when all she wanted to do was cry?

XxXxXxX

The day continued on slowly, even though they were making good time. Eugene did his best to keep Rapunzel's spirits up, but she was having a hard time with everything. Cold air blasted her from the east wind, and it cut through her coat, chilling her body. Her eyes shifted over to Eugene, wondering if he was as miserable as she was. He held his coat closed tightly, a frown crossing his face. If she had to guess, it was because he was cold too.

That gave her the motivation to speak up. "Eugene?"

He glanced over at her. "Hmm?"

"Do you think we could stop somewhere soon?" she asked, giving an unconscious shiver. "I'm so cold…"

"Of course," he said, clear concern for her in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. There's a little town just up the road. We could stop there, warm up….maybe eat something?"

She managed to give him a small smile. "I'd love that."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, immediately making her warmer. The smile he gave her helped with that too. "You're a trouper, Rapunzel." He sighed a little. "But I wish we had a horse or something to make it easier for you," he added wistfully.

"That would be nice," she said, thinking of her aching feet and the twelve-week-old baby in her tummy. "But there's not much we can do about it."

Eugene was quiet for a moment before looking at her again. "You know something?" he said finally. "I think we're actually getting close to the Snuggly Duckling."

That was the best thing Rapunzel had heard all day. "Really?"

"Yes," he said. "We could stop there for a while, if you want to."

"I'd love to."

With a visit to her friends in sight, Rapnzel already felt much better and the distance went quickly. Soon they were standing in front of the door of the Snuggly Duckling, and Eugene knocked on it briefly before they entered. Almost instantaneously, they were bombarded with greetings, and from what she could tell, everyone was here.

"Blondie!"

"Hello Rapunzel!"

"How are you?"

Nearly all the greetings were directed at her, but Big Nose did say something to Eugene. "Glad you two found each other," he said softly.

She gave him a big smile. "Me too," she said. "Thanks for everything you did to help." She was sure that the people here must have had something to do with Eugene finding her. She sensed Eugene tensing up beside her, and she glanced over at him. "Didn't they help you?"

Eugene coughed, his eyes shifting away from her. "Um….well…."

She looked at the thugs sternly, especially Hookhand. "Are you telling me that Eugene came here and you didn't help him?"

"Of course we helped him," Hookhand said gruffly. "We just wanted to….make sure it would help _you_."

She almost could accept that answer, but Eugene snorted. "You mean you wanted to make sure I hadn't bailed on her because of the baby, you mean," he retorted flatly.

He and Hookhand locked gazes, and if she had to guess they were sparring in their heads. "No harm done," she said soothingly. She had no interest in them beginning to fight. Not on her account, at any rate. "I'm sure you all believed him when he told you the truth."

"Well, that and the fact that he was blind," muttered Atila.

She felt as cold as she felt outside, like someone had dropped her in the Arctic. "You were blind, Eugene?" she said faintly. A loud roaring resounded in her ears. Eugene….was blind? But he couldn't be! She could tell that he could see. He'd even guided them here!

He shuffled his feet, his eyes shifting toward the ground. "Yeah," he said. "But it's no big deal. I'm fine now."

He might have been fine, but that wasn't the point at all. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her voice sounding weak even to her own ears.

"Ooo, trouble in paradise," Shorty chortled.

Both she and Eugene sent withering looks at him, and she realized they'd need to have this conversation somewhere else- away from nosy ears. All of the thugs looked much to interested in her reaction. "Hookhand," she said. "Would you excuse us, please?" She didn't wait for him to answer, and instead dragged Eugene to where her old room was. "I'm not mad, Eugene," she said once she'd shut the door. "But I don't know why you didn't tell me that you were _blind_!"

He shrugged. "It just didn't come up."

Rapunzel couldn't believe her ears, but she exhaled. She_ would_ remain calm. Getting frustrated wouldn't help anything. "Well, can you tell me what happened?"

"It's pretty simple," he said. "I came to the tower to get you, your mother pushed me out, I practically died, Charles took me in, I woke up blind."

Rapunzel sat down, her knees feeling slightly weak. "I'm so sorry, Eugene," she said softly. "I-I…had no idea." Her heart went out to him. How awful it must have been to be blind!

He sat down next to her. "I didn't tell you. So how could you?"

"I don't know," she said, knowing that was true. "But I wish I could have helped you."

"You did," he said, smiling. "I think when you cried, your tears healed me."

She guessed that was possible, but it sounded crazy. But how else could he suddenly be able to see? "Healing…tears?"

He grinned. "If hair can heal, why couldn't tears?"

She managed to smile back. "I guess they could," she acknowledged.

His arm snuck around her, and he pulled her to his side, kissing the top of her head. "So, I guess I should have told you, huh?" he said sheepishly.

"That would have been nice, Eugene, "she said mildly. "Considering how significant you being _blind_ was."

"How about this," he said. "The next time I'm blind, or anything else is horribly wrong with me, I promise to tell you first, all right?"

"Perfect," she said.

They sat in a companionable silence, and she savored the nearness of him, the almost protective way he held her. She glanced over at him, wondering why he was so quiet. "What are you thinking about, Eugene?" she asked softly.

He blinked at her, once then twice. "Just that we should probably get going if we want to make it home today."

Rapunzel was sure that wasn't what he'd really been thinking. Nevertheless, she agreed and they bid farewell to everyone at the Snuggly Duckling.

And soon they were on their way again after eating the lunch that Eugene had promised.

XxXxXxXxXx

After they had walked a few hours, and Eugene was sure that they were actually drawing near his old house, he turned to her and told her that they were drawing close to their home. Rapunzel looked overcome with relief, and she managed to smile at him. Eugene understood without her saying anything, sure that her feet hurt and she wanted to sit down. He held her hand, as together they walked the last of the way to the house. But once they drew close, he gathered her up in his arms. He'd never been able to take his wife over the threshold into her house, and he was determined to do it now.

"What are you doing, Eugene?" she said, laughing. He was pleased to see the light come back into her eyes.

He smirked at her. "What does it look like? I'm _finally _carrying my bride over the threshold."

He carried her in, and he gently set her on the floor. He thought about how he was going to kiss her, but once they were inside the door, he noticed an envelope and a piece of paper on the floor. He picked them both up, noticing that the envelope was slightly heavy, and he read the note:

_Rider-_

_Here's your stipend. Hope to hear something soon about the job. Remember, I'm not a patient person. If you have something to tell me, I'm at my usual lair. Otherwise, you might want to find a new den for yourself. _

_-Fox_

He opened the envelope to see 5 silver coins in there, which could probably last them about two months if they scrimped. But the Fox did _not _sound happy, and he felt slightly ill. He skimmed it again. The more he read it, the more it sounded threatening.

"Is everything….okay?" Rapunzel asked, clearly concerned.

He made himself smile at her. No need in worrying her. "Everything's fine, Rapunzel."

She didn't look convinced. "Are you sure? Your face went all pale…"

He shoved the note in his pocket. "I'm fine," he said shortly.

Rapunzel was smart enough to drop the subject. "So this is your house?"

"Yes," he said. "Though it's not much."

She smiled reassuringly. She glanced around. The house was small, but it was nice enough. "It doesn't matter, Eugene. Our house doesn't have to be big. As long as we're together, I'm happy."

He didn't say anything. He just pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. She rested her head on his shoulder and hugged him back. She expected him to say something else, but he didn't. Not for a few moments.

"I'm sorry we had to leave," he said softly in her ear.

"Me too," she whispered. She drew back to see his eyes, which had true regret in it. "But you didn't have a choice, Eugene."

He let out a sigh, and shook his head slightly. "You're not happy though. You didn't want to go."

That much was true, but the last thing she wanted was for Eugene to continue to beat himself up about it. "Eugene, listen," she said. He could tell by her voice that she was serious, and he met her eyes. "I love you. As much as I loved the orphanage and everyone there, being with you is more important. So is your safety. So stop worrying about it. We're here now. And there's nobody I'd rather be with than you."

His mouth twitched, and he smiled. Finally. She felt like she could breath again. He drew her close again. "What did I ever do to have someone as wonderful as you?" he said into her hair.

She hugged him back. "Just lucky I guess," she teased.

She expected him to laugh or something, but she could sense tension creep up his back. She wondered if he was thinking about that note. "Eugene?"

He stiffened then. She could feel it. The muscles under his coat completely tensed up. "What are you thinking, Eugene?"

"Nothing, Rapunzel," he said, a hint of irritation in his voice.

She didn't know what to do now. She wanted to know what was making him upset. But he was in a mood where pushing him would just make him mad, and she for sure didn't want that. But what could she do to make him feel better? She raked her brains, but she could only come up with one thing.

So she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. If there was one thing she knew about Eugene, it was that he didn't_ ever_ reject a kiss from her. Actually, he was quick to return them.

He didn't let her down. He immediately wrapped her tightly in his arms and continued to kiss her. Her hands stayed on his back, and she felt him relax- just like she wanted. "It'll be okay, Eugene," she whispered.

He stiffened up again, and surprise filled her. This wasn't like him at all, and it was then that she knew that whatever had been in that note wasn't good. He wouldn't be acting like this unless he'd had bad news.

It didn't take her long to decide that she was going to find that note and read it. And she'd do it tonight, after he was asleep.

After all, she couldn't help him if she didn't know what was wrong, now could she?

XxXxXxXxXx

The rest of the day wasn't entirely a good one. Eugene continued to brood despites all Rapunzel's attempts to make him feel better, and she almost told him several times to stop being such a grouch. She knew that wouldn't help matters any, so instead she gave him a wide berth and spent time with Pascal and Emmy instead while she unpacked. They were much better company than the absolute_ grump _that was her husband today. But he perked up some at dinnertime and started joking and flirting with her like he usually did. She couldn't understand it. Was this the same person who'd been a bear the whole time they'd been here?

She didn't complain though. She was just glad that he was more like himself. She still was going to find out what was in that note though. She hadn't changed her mind about that. A small voice in her head told her that might not be the best idea, but she ignored it. She was determined to do this.

So she didn't sleep when they went to bed. Instead,she lay motionless, just waiting for him to fall asleep. It seemed like it was a very long time before she heard his normal deep breathing and occasional snore. She knew that meant he was finally asleep, and she crept out to the kitchen and let a candle. His coat was still there and she dug around in his pocket until she found the note. It was all crumpled up, so she tried her best to smooth it out. When she was satisfied, she read it:

_Rider-_

_Here's your stipend. Hope to hear something soon about the job. Remember, I'm not a patient person. If you have something to tell me, I'm at my usual lair. Otherwise, you might want to find a new den for yourself. _

_-Fox_

She frowned. She wasn't an expert on this, but that note sounded vaguely threatening to her when she read between the lines, like Eugene should do the job…or else.

She didn't like this. She didn't like this one little bit. Besides, she had no idea what kind of job this was. Was it the lost princess job that he'd told her about? Could it be a…_.stealing _job? If it was, that could explain partly why Eugene was so out of sorts and wouldn't tell her. But he wouldn't steal again. He wouldn't. He…_couldn't! _She refused to believe he was capable of that anymore, and so it must be something else.

She desperately wanted to ask him about this, but he would know that she'd been snooping in his stuff if she did. She felt at a complete impasse, and she sat down, wondering what to do. That small voice in her head was screaming at her, reminding her that she shouldn't have done this.

Suddenly, she heard Eugene's footsteps behind her. She tried frantically to hide the piece of paper, but she couldn't do it.

"Rapunzel? What are you-..." His voice trailed off as he caught sight of the candle in one hand and the note in the other. In the dark, she couldn't read his face, and so all she could do was wait anxiously while he was silent. Wasn't he going to say anything?

"So I guess you know," he said finally.

"Yes," she said. "But I'm not sure what kind of 'job' this Fox is talking about, Eugene."

His eyes widened, and she could read in his expression that he was not happy. He remained calm though. "Now what does that mean?"

"Is it about the lost princess or…..something else?"

She raised the candle so that its light showed her his face. He looked genuinely shocked. "What?"

"Why were you hiding this from me?" she asked.

She could identify the very moment when his expression changed to a mixture of anger and betrayal. "Are you thinking this is a s_tealing _job?" he said incredulously. "Do you really have so little faith in me?"

She realized too late how that sounded to him "No, I didn't think that was it. Of course I didn't," she said quietly. "I just wanted to know, Eugene. I wanted...to help you." She knew that her explanation sounded weak. "What else was I supposed to do? You…you wouldn't talk to me."

His shoulders slumped, dejectedly. "I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry," he muttered.

_Too late for that_, she thought. "So you admit that we should be."

He shook his head ruefully. "The Fox isn't somebody you want to mess with- and he _won't_ be happy until I find the lost princess."

"Don't you have any idea where she is?" She wasn't sure if he did, but it was possible that he had a lead, wasn't it?

"Not really," he admitted. "It's like looking for the wind." He looked at her seriously. "She could be dead for all we know, Rapunzel."

A shiver crept up her spine. She hated the thought that the princess was dead, though she knew he could be right. "So what are you going to do?" she asked softly.

"I don't know," he said. He let out a deep sigh. "But I'm not going to figure it out tonight."

He headed back into their room, and got into bed. She did the same after blowing out the candle, though she ached-partly because of the Fox, and partly because she was weighed down by guilt. She lay in the dark silence, and it matched the darkness she felt in her heart. She shouldn't have snooped; she knew that. It was obvious that her curiousity hadn't served her well today either. Was he very angry with her? She wouldn't blame him if he was, even if she couldn't stand the thought of it. But maybe she could prevent it by apologizing. "Eugene?"

"Ummmmph," he mumbled, clearly half asleep now.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. _I'm so sorry..._

He shifted toward her and she felt his lips briefly brush hers. "I know," he said. "Go to sleep, Rapunzel. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

She settled under the covers like he'd told her to, but she didn't feel much better.

He hadn't said he'd forgiven her.

As a result, Rapunzel lay awake, long after she heard Eugene's deep breathing. It surprised her that he could just fall asleep with everything that went on, yet she thought perhaps it was a man thing. But all she wanted now was for him to hold her and say he'd forgive her. She wasn't about to wake him up, but she did move closer to him, hoping that somehow maybe he would. In his sleep, he stirred and pulled her close. Rapunzel exhaled. He couldn't be too mad if he was holding her.

With that reassurance, she finally managed to drift off.

XxXxXxXx

The next morning, Eugene woke up in a funk. He hadn't slept well, mostly because he'd been so troubled about the Fox and Rapunzel. Last night, she'd snooped around behind his back and it did _not _make him happy. It seemed so unlike her to do that. He knew that she was pregnant, and as such, she wouldn't act like herself all the time. But this was a little extreme, wasn't it?

He turned toward her, wanting to talk to her, but the spot was empty. The covers were thrown more to him, and Emmy was curled up right next to her pillow. But no Rapunzel.

Without her, there was no point to stay in bed. So he got up and quickly dressed. He walked out to the kitchen, and he saw her there, making something.

She must have heard him because she darted a glance at him. She smiled, but he could tell it wasn't her normal one. There was a twinge of sadness to it. Obviously, she was still upset about last night. He was too. But he didn't know how to talk to her about it. Normally, he'd crack some kind of joke but he couldn't think of anything._ Nothing_ was funny about yesterday. "Oh, good morning, Eugene," she said. "Breakfast's almost ready."

He sat down at the table, bewildered by the normalness of her tone. She was acting like nothing had happened. Should he play along? "Um…okay."

"Great," she said brightly. She soon came toward him with a plate of eggs and bread. "Here you are."

He stared at it, thinking that he wasn't hungry at all. That wasn't at all usual for him, and he knew it. His feelings must be affecting his appetite now. "Aren't you going to eat with me?" he asked her quietly.

"Of course," she said. He glanced up to see her with her own plate, and she sat down across from him. "Well? Go ahead, Eugene."

He ate bits of breakfast, but he mostly pushed his food around with his fork. He knew that she was concerned about him, but she talked about nothing and everything while he made listening noises every once and awhile.

When he was finally done, he pushed his chair away from the table. He needed to think, and as much as he loved her, he needed to do it somewhere else. He had to figure out what to do.

"You all finished, Eugene?" Her voice was almost tentative, like she didn't want to offend him. He thought that was very ironic of her.

"Yes. Thanks, Rapunzel," he said, standing up. He grabbed his coat and headed for the door. "I'm going for a walk now."

Her face visibly fell and he could sense her disappointment. Idly he hoped she knew it wasn't about her, even if it sort of was. But it mostly wasn't."Oh, I see," she said in a very small voice. "Be careful, Eugene."

"I will," he said automatically, even though he wasn't sure what he should be careful about. Rabid bunnies? Scary owls? He opened the door, and was immediately greeted by a blast of cold air.

He couldn't help but grumble. He _hated_ cold weather. It was up there with bad drawings of his nose and being outwitted. He glanced back at their tiny house, and he knew that he could go back inside. But determination drove him on.

He wasn't coming back until he figured this out.

XxXxXxXx

Eugene's determination wore thin quickly as he grew colder. He knew he needed to find some kind of shelter, or he would turn into that human snowman he'd joked about.

Well, that or catch hypothermia. He wasn't sure which. Neither particularly appealed to him though, and he studied the woods as he continued to walk, searching for anything that resembled some sort of building. Finally he came across Rapunzel's tower. That would work, but he wasn't sure how to enter without her hair. He remembered then that Dr. Levi had found a door, and he soon was up in the tower, which was still very cold. He found the fireplace, and it wasn't long before he had a tiny fire going. He sat next to it, tthiking as he did that Rapunzel would be surprised if she knew that he ended up here of all places.

He was surprised himself. As he gazed around, memories of Rapunzel flashed through his mind: the first time he'd met her when she'd tied him up with his hair, coming back after the lanterns, those Tuesday afternoons they spent talking and laughing together, the first time he'd kissed her, the day he told her he loved her, the day they were married, when she found out that she was pregnant….

And then that absolutely awful day when her mother had pushed him out the window and he'd almost died.

They'd certainly been through a lot, the two of them. Yet he couldn't escape the nagging feeling that they were in for another challenge- possibly very soon. He hoped that he was wrong. Weren't there enough trials in their relationship already?

He decided that he needed to focus on something else, more positive. Something like Rapunzel. After all, he'd had come here partly because of her. He thought of her big green eyes, her beautiful brown hair...

He loved her. He loved her so much, which was probably why he'd been so upset yesterday. Rapunzel said she was sorry though, and he was sure she was. She didn't say things she didn't mean. He should tell her he forgave her when he returned home.

He still didn't know what he was going to do about the Fox and the lost princess though. He sighed heavily in exasperation. What did the Fox expect? He couldn't pull the lost princess out of thin air! Besides that, he'd been kind of busy lately, what with getting married, almost dying, being blind, then _not_ being blind...

But just as the Fox wasn't good with no, he wasn't good with excuses either. Something told him that he'd likely used up his quota. He had to come up with something about this job, or he- and Rapunzel by extension- would be in a bad spot.

He decided to go through what he knew about the princess:

She was eighteen years old. She had blonde hair. Her birthday was the day of the lantern festival. According to a mosaic he saw in the capital, she had green eyes. Green eyes like the queen. The queen who had brown hair and_ big_ green eyes. Just like someone else he knew.

As realization dawned on him, he was glad he was sitting down. Otherwise, he'd have fallen over.

He didn't need to look for the lost princess anymore. He knew who she was. He'd actually _already _found her; she'd been under his nose the whole time:

Rapunzel. The lost princess….was Rapunzel.

* * *

AN: thank you very much for all the lovely reviews! You guys are awesome! Just so you know, there will be about 2 more chapters after this followed by an epilogue, so it's winding down.

anabelgem: that's pretty cool! I just picked the 6th because it's my favorite number.

tangledgirl: thanks!

jellybelly: they are :)

tangledgeek: thank yoU!

Guest: thanks for the feedback! They might seem that way partly because of the circumstances, but i'll keep what you said in mind.

vlightphase: thanks!

hera98: I know...i didn't want them to leave either, but they needed to for Eugene's sake.

misti 87: thanks!

umbreon: i totally agree! ugh!

loveslife: poor Eugene indeed! But poor Rapunzel too.

Wolfram: I didn't feel like putting that in. LOL.

disnerd: I love emmy too. She's actually based on my own cat who looks the same.

vampire chick: Aw, thanks! that's really sweet!


	16. Revelation

AN: I'm so sorry this took so long to put up! I don't really have an excuse other than I was thinking about and obsessing over something else entirely (LoTR anyone?). Anyway, I thank you for your patience, and while I think this chapter isn't the best, I still hope you like it.

Misti 87: well, like many good things in life, this must too come to an end. I'm glad you liked it though.

Becca: thank you!

Sunny: thank you. I feel like it's completely unrealistic to think that there won't be any conlict between them, and they are in a tough spot at the moment. But it will all work out.

Diabolical: yes, there will be more, though you'll probably hate me at the end of this chapter too. I'm glad you like it.

tangled4ever: yay!

VlightPhase: nope :P not when it's so much fun to torture them. HAA! No, I'm kidding. It will work out for them, I promise.

Jellybelly: He did. yay!

Alya Spruce: thanks!

Wolfram: now, what makes you think Eugene would do something stupid? *wink*

disnerd: well, thank YOU for reviewing!

Beta Gyre: They'll be all right. I promise!

Hera98: I actually do have baby names, and have for a VERY long time. But I like your suggestion!

hanza: well, he was distracted by other things...

Umbreon: yep!

* * *

**Chapter 16-Revelation**

Rapunzel was the princess.

No. That didn't adequately describe how completely earth-shattering this was or how much it had radically altered his life. Eugene's _wife_ Rapunze_l_ was the princess. A princess!

Well, he always knew that she was. She'd always been like a princess to him. But a real live princess, with a crown, a castle, and everything? A crown that he'd stolen, he thought. He'd stolen his own wife's crown.

The irony of it all was not lost on him. But if she was a princess, did that mean he was a prince because he was married to her?

A laughing fit overcame him. _No one_ was further from a prince than he was.

Rapunzel was as amazing as any princess though. She was kind and gracious, beautiful and sweet…..and she looked just like the Queen. He was amazed that he actually hadn't figured it out sooner, but he had been distracted lately.

So should he tell her? He didn't really want to. The right thing was to tell her. He had no doubts whatsoever about that, but his interest in returning to the capital was less than his interest in having his face altered. Which was obviously not at all. Naturally, he _was _fond of his face.

He remembered that Rapunzel had left the orphanage though- only because of him, and she hadn't wanted to at all either. Yet she had loved him enough to leave what was like a home to her. So how could he not do the same for her? Rapunzel had been completely unselfish, and he had a feeling it was his turn now. The King and Queen were her _parents_, after all, and they deserved to have her back after all those years of hoping, praying that their daughter would return to them. If he didn't bring her back to them, it probably would be by far one of the worst things he'd ever done. How could he ever top stealing a princess away from her family and her kingdom?

He couldn't. He couldn't do that to her- which clearly meant that he needed to return home and tell her. Before he did though, he was going to kiss her. Somehow he knew things were going to change for them again, and he didn't want to lose her.

Even if it felt like somehow he would.

XxXxXxXxXx

After Eugene left, the morning seemed to drag on for Rapunzel. Once she'd tidied up, and made the bed, there really wasn't much to do. She tried to occupy herself with a book, but her focus was somewhere else entirely. After reading the same sentence at least fifty times, she finally gave up. She had to let herself think about what happened.

She didn't need to remind herself of her blunder last night. She couldn't forget it. But her concern was not for herself anymore, but Eugene. At breakfast, he'd been uncharacteristically monosyllabic and distracted. Something was bothering him. Was it the Fox? Was it _her_?

She didn't know what to do if he was still upset with her. She'd already apologized, and she felt awful about her actions. But what if he was still mad with her….so mad that he had to get away from her and that's why he took that walk? She knew that they'd had their differences lately, and maybe they were all her fault. Perhaps she was terrible to live with now, and Eugene would-….

No. She slammed those thoughts down. He'd _never_ leave her. Ever. He'd come back sometime today, and she'd say she was sorry a hundred times if necessary until he forgave her.

She waited patiently for him, and the afternoon dragged by. She made something for dinner, like she normally would, hoping he'd return soon.

Eugene finally came home shortly after sunset, but he had a very intense look on his face. Yet Rapunzel put on a happy smile. After all, she was glad he was home. "Hello, Eugene," she said brightly. "Did you-…." He cut her off by taking her into his arms and kissing her soundly. She felt slightly weak at the knees. It wasn't that he'd never kissed her like this before and he often gave her a peck before dinner, but that was the point. A peck. Not one that made her feet stick to the floor. So did that kiss mean he _wasn't _mad at her? "What was that?" she said when she could speak.

His expression didn't give anything away. "Can't I kiss my wife?"

She loved hearing that, but he was dodging her question and it was a little annoying. She wished he'd talk to her. "That's not the point and you know it. Is something wrong?"

He finally smiled, but it looked fake to her. "I…I can't say yet, Rapunzel. I'm sorry."

She decided to drop the subject. That seemed like an improvement over yesterday to her, and she wasn't about to quibble. "Well, dinner's ready."

He sat down, but he didn't look at her. She hated that he didn't look at her. First he kissed her, and now he wouldn't look at her? "That's great, Rapunzel," he said tonelessly.

She couldn't believe it. What was wrong with him today?

XxXxXxXx

During dinner Eugene wasn't hungry at all, and all he could do was pick at his food. Rapunzel tried and tried to get him talk, but he couldn't think of anything to say. He knew he should be relieved that he'd found the princess because that would get the Fox off his back, yet he wasn't. The fact that it was Rapunzel just inserted another whole layer of complications.

"How was your walk?" she asked.

"Fine." More like horrible, cold, and miserable, but he didn't say that.

"Did you decide what to do about the princess?" she asked.

Great. Now she'd opened the door completely for him to tell her, and he'd have to lie to her face to keep it from her- something he'd promised himself he'd never do. He needed to tell her this, and he needed to stop hiding things from her. "Um...actually, yes," he said, staring at his plate. "I have." He glanced back up at her.

She smiled happily. "Really? Do you know where she is?"

He forced himself to speak. "Yes...I've...found her."

"Who is she?" she asked eagerly.

He took a deep breath, and met her eyes. _She has no idea what I'm going to say_, he realized. _She has no idea_."She's...you."

She immediately stared at him, her fork clattering on her plate. "Me? I'm a..._princess_?"

He sighed deeply."Yes."

She looked at him, studying him, searching for the truth of it in his eyes. He hoped she'd find it."Are you sure?" she said softly.

"Very. It all fits."

"I'm the lost princess," she said dully. "Me."

"….Yes," he said, forcing the words out.

She bit her lip, and sat back in her seat."Eugene, why didn't you tell me when you first came home?"

It was a fair question, but he wasn't sure if the reason would be what she expected. "Because…..I'm afraid I'll lose you." He couldn't meet her eyes, and he stared at his fingernails. Admitting that was harder than anything.

He heard her sigh. "Oh, Eugene," she said quietly. Suddenly she stood up and walked over to him. Without saying anything else, she sat on his lap, and looked right in his eyes. He found himself immediately putting his arms around her. "That's not going to happen, ever. I promise."

He glanced down again. He knew he'd done the right thing by telling her the truth, but why didn't it feel better? He still felt like the moment he'd said it, he'd started to lose her, a little bit at a time. Lost her to her parents, her kingdom. And they'd never had the life he'd imagined for them, alone together here in this cottage.

"Eugene," she said again. "Look at me." He forced himself to do what she asked. "I love you," she said softly. "Nothing's ever going to change that." She took his face in her little hands and kissed him. He returned her kiss, almost desperately, like it could be the last time or something.

"I love you," he said when they drew apart. "I love you so much, Rapunzel."

He could see the slightest hint of tears in her eyes. "I know you do, Eugene."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

She smiled faintly. "Because you wouldn't have told me if you didn't."

He kissed her again. He couldn't help it. "I forgive you for yesterday," he whispered to her, knowing that now would be a good time to say it. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

She buried her face on his shoulder. "I'm sorry too," she said. "I'm glad that you figured it all out."

"So do you want to return tomorrow?" he asked her._ He_ didn't want that, but they were her parents. What she wished was what they would do.

She met his eyes, studying his face. He couldn't tell what she was thinking at all. Did she want to go or not? "No," she said finally. "I don't. I think we need to take two weeks and work some things out between us."

For the next week, that is exactly what they did, and long before Rapunzel was satisfied, Eugene was tired of talking about the same problems over and over. But he felt like he understood what she needed from him better, and he was sure she felt the same. He realized that he should tell her things, even if he thought she'd be upset because as it turned out, relations between them would be better if he did tell her.

The next week after that was much more enjoyable, and he realized anew that sometimes the hard work must come before fun.

XxXxXxXx

After the two weeks were up, Eugene told Rapunzel that while he'd rather take her straight home, he felt that they should tell Fox that he had found the lost princess. If they did that, they wouldn't have to worry about him coming after them. She didn't entirely want to, and she wasn't entirely sure about that, but she trusted his judgment After they packed everything up, they traveled to his home in the forest surrounding the tower. The Fox lived in a small house built into the ground, as one would expect for a Fox, but there was a little stable outside it, and she guessed he must have horses.

She felt slightly nervous as they walked up to the door, and she was glad that Eugene was holding her hand-just like he had for much of their journey.

He knocked on the door with three short ones. "Fox!"

A man opened the door, and she immediately noticed that he was only a few years older than Eugene was, with dark hair and eyes. She supposed he could be considered handsome, but his features were much more….fierce than Eugene's were. "Rider," he said, his glance immediately settling on her. "Who's this?"

Eugene's grip tightened on her hand. Clearly he was as uncomfortable as she felt, though that would be quite hard considering that she was on sharp pins and needles. "This is my wife, Rapunzel," Eugene said.

The Fox's eyes widened, his shock obvious. "Wife? You got married?"

"I did," he said quietly, but firmly at the same time.

Rapunzel gave a little curtsy, trying her best to be kind, even though she'd rather be anywhere else. But it was what a princess would do- be gracious even when she didn't feel it. "It's nice to meet you," she offered. "Uh…Mr. Fox."

He immediately threw his head back and laughed. She felt like it was almost at her. "Mr. Fox! Where'd you find this girl, Rider?"

Eugene stiffened up beside her, obviously thinking the same. "I'd appreciate it if you'd be kind to my wife, please."

"Oh, um, excuse me," he said, clearing his throat. He gave a little bow, and grinned at her. She had to make herself smile back. "Would you like to come in?"

"Yes, we would," Eugene said, quickly walking into the house.

"Great," the Fox said, though he did not sound enthusiastic. "Would you like to stay here for the night too?"

She knew that they would, even if it didn't sound particularly enjoyable to her. But it made the most sense. It was already dark, after all. "Yes." Eugene said.

The Fox grimaced. "Well, I guess I'll be sleeping on the floor then."

Rapunzel wished almost immediately that they hadn't come here. This Fox man was not making her feel comfortable at all, and she wanted to leave. But Eugene wasn't going to until he felt they could, and she hoped that would be sooner rather than later- like almost as soon as they woke up. They made the usual small-talk, but she knew that Eugene and the Fox probably would talk easier if she left the room. She was why they were here. Right? "Are you hungry?" she asked when there was a slight pause in the conversation.

Eugene's surprise and relief was not lost on her, and he quickly spoke. "Yes, I am," he said. "Would you mind if she makes something?" He glanced at the Fox.

"No, I guess not," he said.

In relief, Rapunzel walked over to the kitchen after saying thank you, and looked at the food the Fox had. It wasn't much, but she decided to make stew and took out the ingredients and a pot. But she could still hear them talking, even though they were in the next room over.

"So, do you have news for me?" the Fox was speaking.

"Yes," Eugene said. "I found the lost princess."

"Really?" His incredulity was obvious, but he did sound pleased More than pleased, really. Thrilled was more like it. But he probably had no idea what Eugene was going to tell him. "All right, Rider! Where is she? _Who_ is she?"

"That's Eugene," he said. "And she's Rapunzel."

There was a long silence, and she used it to start cutting up the ingredients of the soup. She wasn't too surprised that the Fox was shocked. She'd been the same when Eugene had told her as well. But it some strange way, she saw the truth of it in his eyes, and she was able to believe it.

Finally the Fox spoke again. "Are you joshing me, Rider? Because it's not funny."

"I'm not, I swear," he said. "And my name is _Eugene_."

"Why do you think it's her?"

"It all makes sense," he said. "Her birthday is the same as the princess, she's how old the princess would be, she was drawn to the lanterns…."

"And she looks just like the Queen," the Fox said slowly, understanding dawning on him.

"Right."

"So your wife is the princess? What do you think of that?"

"Actually…. I wasn't that excited at first."

She snorted to herself. That was for sure. Eugene hadn't been happy at all, and she could easily remember how unhappy he had been. She dropped everything that she had chopped into the pot, and began to cook it.

"Why not?" the Fox asked.

"Why not, Fox? Are you serious? You think I can just show up there and they won't arrest me?"

"What does Rapunzel think?"

"She thinks everything will be fine, that they wouldn't dare hurt me because I'm her husband and-….." He suddenly broke off.

"And…what?"

"Well….we're sort of going to have a baby."

The Fox laughed boisterously, almost mockingly. She didn't want to make snap judgments about people, but something about him made shivers creep down her spine. He wasn't a good person, not even deep down the way Eugene had been when she'd first met him. "You're kidding! Did you ruin her, then?"

"No, I didn't." She could tell that he was angry now. "Honestly, I'm so sick of hearing that. I married her because I happen to love her. The baby came later."

"Sure it did."

"Look, Mr. Know it all, you can ask Rapunzel," he said. "She'd never lie to you. Besides, you can't do that to someone like her. She's too innocent. She's a good person, Fox. Good in a way you don't see that often."

"So how did she end up with you?"

There was another long silence, but she thought that Eugene was kinder than most people gave him credit for, especially with her. Then she finally heard Eugene speak again. "You're lucky I_ did _meet her. Otherwise you'd be howling with pain right now."

To her astonishment, the Fox actually made something of an apology. "I'm sorry," he said. "I realize how that sounded. But it's just...how did you get so lucky? She seems like a sweetheart."

When he spoke again, all the anger had drained out of his voice. "She is," he said softly. "I'm lucky to have her, I know."

"Yeah? How's life with a wife?" The Fox laughed at his own wit, but she didn't find anything particularly comical about this situation.

"Actually, it's stupendous," Eugene said.

"Really."

"Yes," he said. "There's something so...nice about coming home to her. It's like a dream to have her around all the time."

The smallest hint of a smile tugged at her mouth. She was glad he felt that way. "Well, that's just great," said the Fox. Unbelievably, he was not mocking Eugene. "But you never struck me as the settling down type."

"I didn't think I was either," he said. "But then I met her, and it's all I wanted to do."

"She a good little homemaker?" There was the slightest hint of sarcasm in his tone now, and she was proud of Eugene for not reacting to it.

"She's perfect," he said, and she felt like glowing. Of course she tried to make him happy, but hearing that meant so much to her, especially after the rough times that they had experienced lately. "She's so good to me."

"Ah yes," he said. "But are you good to her?"

Eugene was quiet again, and she held her breath. He had to know that he was. He had to believe that! He was the most wonderful thing that had ever happened to her in her whole life. "I think I am," he said in a low voice. "I think she's happy."

"And is our deal still on, Rider?"

There was a long pause, but when Eugene spoke, his voice was like iron and she was glad he wasn't talking to her. Eugene could be scary when he was adamant about something. "All right, Fox," he said. "This is how it's going to work. I'm going to take Rapunzel back to the capital, and introduce her to her family. Then I'll get the reward and send it to you. All of it."

She nodded slightly to herself. That plan sounded good to her. But the Fox's incredulity was obvious. "All of it? Are you serious?"

"Yes," he said.

"Well, then you're an idiot."

"Because as the princess's husband I won't need that money anyway?" Eugene said dryly. "Hardly. But I do ask you for one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Let me borrow a horse," he said. "I don't want Rapunzel to have to walk all the way there again."

She liked the thought of that! She hoped the Fox would agree to it. She didn't want to complain, but her feet had hurt on the way here.

"All right," the Fox said. "But I have another idea too."

The Fox's voice went quiet, and Rapunzel couldn't catch what he said. But a long pause followed, and it was a heavy one.

Then Eugene finally spoke, fury obvious in his voice. "Are you out of your mind, Fox?"

"It's a good idea!"

"No, it's not!" Eugene yelled. "Did you forget she's _my wife?"_

"Of course I haven't," the Fox said soothingly. "And she'll still be your wife, and she'll be treated as well as she's always been. The King and Queen will just think she isn't and that we're holding her for ransom."

Rapunzel nearly dropped her spoon in shock. Would that even work? Wasn't all the reward money enough for him?

"I can't do this, Fox," Eugene said. "I_ can't_." Rapunzel could tell that his mind was made up.

The Fox didn't seem to realize that though. "How about you don't decide until tomorrow?"

"Fine," Eugene said icily.

A horrible silence followed, and she felt relieved that her soup was done. At least she could say something to fill the chasm. "The soup's ready," she called.

Murmurs came from the other room, then she heard Eugene speak. "We'll be right there, Rapunzel."

She used that pause to fill up three bowls, and finished just as soon as they both walked in, scowls on both of their faces. They calmly sat down, and then they all began to eat.

She thought later it was one of the most awkward dinners she'd ever sat through in her life. Neither of the men wanted to talk, and it was all she could do to keep any semblance of pleasant conversation going.

XxXxXxXx

After dinner, she could physically feel the tension grow between Eugene and the Fox, but she wasn't sure entirely what to do about it besides try and stay friendly and pleasant. But she grew tired, and Eugene jumped on that – using it to make their good-nights. Soon they went to bed, and Rapunzel had almost drifted off when she felt Eugene's elbow poke her. "Rapunzel?" he whispered. "Rapunzel?"

"I'm awake, Eugene," she murmured sleepily.

"Good," he said. "Because we have to go."

"The Fox's idea?"

He barely seemed surprised that she knew. "Yes. We have to get out of here."

She didn't hesitate. She jumped out of bed right after he did, and as quietly as they could, they changed into warm clothes. They packed up everything, and crept out of the house. "Eugene," she whispered. "How are we going to ever make it far enough?"

His jaw tightened. "The Fox said I could borrow one of his horses, and I'm going to."

She wasn't entirely sure about that, but she followed Eugene into the small stable and watched as he tacked up a black horse, which Rapunzel read on his stall was named Midnight. Very creative, she thought to herself. She would have come up with a much better name than that. Eugene gestured her outside, and he helped her up in the saddle. Then he mounted up behind her and took the reins. That meant his arms went around her, but she didn't mind that at all. He said something softly to the horse, and the horse went flying into the night. Rapunzel was glad he was holding her, or else she might have fallen off due to the quick start. Besides that, anxiety filled her at the Fox's plan, and Eugene's arms always made her feel more safe and secure- even when they were riding in the dark of night.

After they had ridden for a while, the rocking of the horse lulled Rapunzel to sleep, but she quickly woke up when Eugene nudged her. "Wake up," he said softly.

She could see now that they were already across the bridge, which explained why he had nudged her. As morning began to dawn, they had almost reached the castle of Corona when another black horse and a hooded rider blocked their path.

"Going somewhere, Rider?" a man growled, throwing back his cloak.

Rapunzel's heart dropped down to her feet with dread. She should have known it couldn't be this easy. It was the Fox. Eugene's arms immediately tightened around her, but his voice was calm. "I'm just taking my wife home."

"On _my _horse," the Fox sneered.

"You said I could borrow one," Eugene said innocently.

Rapunzel knew _that _wasn't going to convince the Fox of anything. She had heard the Fox say he'd lend Eugene a horse, but maybe he'd thought it was contingent on Eugene doing what he wanted. "Well, I changed my mind, considering you took off without answering my question."

Eugene sighed, and he dismounted, helping her down as well. "Here's your horse," he said, pushing Rapunzel slightly behind him protectively.

The Fox dismounted himself, then took the reins. He glared at Eugene. "You think you'll get off that easily?"

"No, actually, I don't," Eugene said. "But I-…." Suddenly he looked behind him, and her eyes followed. Several guards were approaching them, practically on them, really. By their expression, she knew that they recognized him as Flynn Rider. She heard the Fox swear. She glanced at Eugene, fear in her eyes. What were they going to do now?

Eugene took her shoulders. "Rapunzel, listen to me," he said, softly but firmly. "Run. Go to your parents. Get out of here. I'll take care of this."

She looked behind her. The soldiers coming closer and closer. She couldn't leave Eugene here to face them. She couldn't. "But Eugene…." She bit her lip. "I can't…"

He silenced her protests by kissing her gently. It brought tears to her eyes because it felt too much like farewell. "You can," he said. "Run, Rapunzel."

She could hardly bear to leave him. She reached clung to him. "But-…."

The guards were almost on them now. They both knew it. "Run!"

After one final look at him, Rapunzel ran.


	17. Reunion

**Chapter 17-Reunion**

_He led her to his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long time afterwards, happy and contented._

With tears in her eyes, Rapunzel ran away from Eugene and the guards. She did not have any idea of where she was going, but she continued to run until the castle was close and she could see it easily. Once she was there, she sunk down to the ground and let herself finally cry, like she'd been wanting to. She hated that she'd had to leave Eugene. She hated that she did not know at all what was happening to him.

Had the Fox hurt him? Had the guards arrested him? The thought of him suffering made her heart hurt, and a fresh set of tears ran down her cheeks. She buried her face in her hands and sobbed. Somehow she couldn't help but feel like this all was her fault. If she wasn't the princess, then Eugene and she would be back at the little house. He'd been safe. Oh, _why_ did she have to be the princess? Everything had been fine until this new little complication had entered her life.

"Excuse me, Miss."

A male's voice caused her to look up. Two guards stood there, one with worry in his eyes and the other with annoyance. She didn't feel too fond of guards right now, considering what might be happening to Eugene, but she knew she should be polite. "What?" was all she managed to say, though she was not rude in her tone.

"Can we help you?" one of the guards asked kindly.

She knew that he had given her a clear opportunity to tell him who she thought he was. It would be foolish not to take it. "I-I…guess so," she said. "My name is Rapunzel and I think I might be the lost princess."

They exchanged looks, and she saw one reach for his sword. But the other shook his head at the grumpy one. "And why do you think that?" he said gently. "The princess had blonde hair, you know."

"I did too," she said. "But it-…." She bit her lip. She did not particularly care to remember the day that her hair had turned to brown. "I cut it a few months ago. My birthday is the same day as the princesses, and I'm eighteen. "

One of the guards looked decidedly unconvinced, and she noticed that his hand was still on his sword. The other just studied her. "You _do _look like the Queen," he said finally.

"Luke!" exclaimed the guard. "We don't know anything about this girl! She could be a convict or something!"

Luke, as she now knew was his name, only smiled. She decided that even if he was a guard, she thought he was nice. "Oh, I doubt it, Irwin," he said. "I can't see what it would hurt to let her just meet their majesties."

"I can," said Irwin grumpily.

"Oh, of course you do," Luke said. "But you see catastrophe around every corner, a chaos at every bend." He gave her a smile. "I'm sure that Rapunzel will cause neither, will you, now?"

She felt too tired and sad to do much of anything. "Um…no," she said. "Of course not."

Luke glanced at Irwin with a raised eyebrow. "See? Now, Rapunzel, you don't mind following me, do you? I can take you to their majesties."

"No, of course not," she said again.

Luke gave her another smile, and she followed as he walked into the castle. She heard Irwin mutter something angrily, but he still walked with them. Rapunzel already did not like him very much. He was what she thought guards were like until She'd met Luke. No small wonder that Eugene wasn't fond of them if they were all so grumpy. Luke led her through the castle and up to a balcony that overlooked the sea. The beauty of it all near took her breath away. She knew that if she was indeed the princess, she might see this view often. The thought astonished her.

"Now, Rapunzel," said Luke. "I'm going to tell their majesties that you're here, if you don't mind waiting."

"No, I don't."

Luke smiled, though Irwin scowled. She thought that if he kept looking like that, his face might stay that way. "Right," Luke said. "We will be right back." They left with another mutter from Irwin, and soon Rapunzel was standing there by herself. She didn't like being by herself, especially at a moment which could be one of the biggest of her life. She wished Eugene was here. She hoped he was all right. She thought that the guards would likely arrest him and throw him in jail, a thought that was not entirely comforting. But it was better that than her other thought that somehow the Fox had hurt him. She sighed deeply. She couldn't help but wish that they had made it here without any trouble. If only Eugene was here. He would calm her nerves, she was sure of it. But what if the King and Queen didn't believe she was their daughter? What would happen to him then? What would happen to _her_? Did they throw in prison people who thought they were the princess but weren't?

She heard a creak of the door, and she turned around. There they were. The King and Queen. Her parents. A lump rose up in her throat. Would they remember her? Would they think she was their daughter?

They stared at her for a moment, and she was sure that she stared right back. She noticed that the Queen had green eyes like her. Rapunzel wondered if she had seen the same, because she stepped forward slowly, her hand reaching out. She gently touched her face, almost to make sure that she was real. A happy smile spread across her face, and she pulled Rapunzel into her arms. At that moment, Rapunzel knew that she had found her real parents. She let out a little sob, a mixture of relief and happiness at the same time.

She looked up to see the King- her father- standing behind them, smiling as well now. He let out a chuckle, and he embraced her as well.

When he did, she felt the lump in her throat disappear. She was home.

Home at last.

XxXxXxXx

After she and her parents made each other's acquaintances, and had hugged multiple times, Rapunzel knew that there was something that she needed to tell them- she needed to tell them about Eugene. She just wasn't sure how to do it. How could she tell them that their eighteen year old daughter -that they had only just gotten back- was married? And not just married, but to the most wanted criminal? She did not know what to do, but eventually she realized she just had to say it. There was no real right way to say something like this, she realized. "Mama? Papa?" she said.

They both smiled, clearly pleased by her calling them that. "It is like a dream to hear that," said Mama. "What is it, dear?"

"I have…," she hesitated. "I have something to tell you." Their faces encouraged her to continue, but she knew that they could have no idea what she was about to say. "I'm, um…." She paused, mustering all of her nerves. "I'm married." She held up her hand that had her ring. "Uh…see?"

Her parents looked completely stunned and for a moment they were both quiet. Finally Mama managed to speak. "Well, that's wonderful, dear," she said, smiling a little. "Who is he?"

"Uh…well?" She forced a little laugh. "His name is Eugene. Eugene Fitzherbert. But you know him by another name."

"Really?" said Papa, now curious. "What's that?"

"Flynn Rider," she muttered, her gaze dropped down to her lap.

A terrible silence followed. Rapunzel fiddled with her hands, wondering what to do. She knew that this would happen. "He might be…uh…in jail now."

Mama and Papa exchanged long looks with each other, but Rapunzel had no idea what they were thinking. "Mama? Papa?"

Mama still seemed stunned, and so Papa spoke first. "Yes, dear. I'm afraid he is," he said.

She felt a lump settle in his throat. She had known, of course, that he likely was, but hearing that was not easy at all. The thought of her beloved Eugene in jail was enough to make her sick. "But he is….all right, isn't he?" she asked anxiously.

Mama recovered her voice, and gave her a reassuring look. "He is."

"Can I see him?" she said eagerly. "Please?" She had to see Eugene! Didn't they know that?

Mama and Papa looked at each other again. "Dear, you do know of all the crimes he's committed, aren't you?" said Papa.

"Of course," she said patiently. "But he's changed, I promise! He has! I wouldn't have married him if he hadn't! He hasn't stolen in months." She could feel tears start to sting her eyes. "Please, believe me," she said, desperation creeping into her voice.  
"Let me go to him."

They were both quiet, and she knew that they were thinking about what she said. "All right," said Papa finally. "But we'll bring him here."

She threw her arms around them. "Oh, thank you!"

As Mama and Papa hugged her again, she smiled in relief. She would soon be able to see Eugene.

Everything would be fine. She just knew it.

XxXxXxXx

Meanwhile, Eugene was decidedly sure that things were not going well at all. Soon after Rapunzel left, he and the Fox had been arrested, and hauled to the jail. They were taken unceremoniously taken to a cell. Then the door was bolted and they were locked in. Eugene sighed, sitting against the wall (basically as far away from the Fox as he could). He hoped that Rapunzel would find the King and Queen soon. He really did not like jail. They were so smelly and damp. Besides that, he did not have the most amiable companion in the world, and it wasn't long before Fox started complaining and putting all the blame on him. "This is all_ your_ fault," the Fox snarled.

Eugene felt too weary to argue with much gusto. "No, it's not. But you can think that if you want to. I don't care," he said. "I'm not the one who doesn't have anyone to bail him out."

"That's only if the Queen and King believe she is the princess," he said with disdain.

"They will," said Eugene_. They _had _to, _he thought. He dared not think of what would happen if they didn't.

The Fox continued to mutter about how unfair everything was, but Eugene stopped responding. He thought about Rapunzel. He hoped she'd found a safe way to the castle, and that the King and Queen would recognize that she were their daughter.

Suddenly, a guard opened the door. "Mr. Fitzherbert?"

As soon as he heard that, a heavy burden slid off his back. Rapunzel must have succeeded. He knew she would. There was no other way the guard would call him that. He stood up. "Yes?"

"Would you be so kind as to come with me?" the guard said.

"Of course," he said. As he left the cell, he glanced back at the Fox. It was on the tip of his tongue to say a sarcastic remark like "enjoy prison," but he knew that Rapunzel would never condone it. "Good-bye, Fox," he said instead.

The Fox muttered something, but Eugene didn't quite catch it. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to. He walked out, following the guard as he headed toward the exit of the jail. "Where are we going?" he asked.

The guard turned and smiled. "I'm taking you to Rapunzel," he said. "I'm Luke, by the way."

"Eugene," he offered. "It's nice to meet you."

Luke laughed softly. "It's nice to meet you too," he said. "And I know their majesties will feel the same way."

"Uh…their majesties?" Nerves rose up in him at the thought.

"Yes, of course," said Luke. "They would want to meet their daughter's husband, don't you think?"

He exhaled. "They believed her?"

"They did indeed," he said. "And they're very excited to meet you."

Although he knew that Luke was right, the thought of the King and Queen actually being excited to see him made him wonder exactly how much Rapunzel had told them. He pondered it over as he followed Luke through the castle and into a room where he soon saw the three of them together.

Rapunzel turned around when they walked through the door. As soon as she saw him, her entire face lit up and she ran toward him. He caught her up in his arms, overcome with relief at seeing her again. "Eugene!" she cried. "Are you all right? They didn't treat you too badly, did they?"

He smiled. "I'm fine, Rapunzel." He decided not to mention how horrible jail and the Fox had been. Instead, he touched her cheek. "How are _you_?"

"I'm good, Eugene," she said brightly. "My….my parents are very nice."

He glanced over at them, trying to mask his nervousness. "I'm sure they are…" If they were anything like Rapunzel, they likely were extremely nice. But he couldn't help but feel anxious at meeting them after everything he had done.

The Queen and King began to walk over, and he tensed up. But they smiled at him kindly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Eugene," said the Queen.

"It's…it's nice to meet you, too," said Eugene. Up close, he could see how much Rapunzel resembled the Queen. No wonder they had believed her so readily, he thought. After the initial greetings, Eugene felt some of his tension leave, but some of it remained, even after the Queen had invited them to have a nice dinner with them. Another gesture of extreme graciousness. Still, Eugene was not entirely sure how fun that might be, but Rapunzel looked so happy that he followed her without comment.

During the meal, the King and Queen were polite enough, asking polite questions about how they had met and all sorts of nice things. And the food _was _exceptionally good.

"So, how long have you been married?" The Queen asked now.

"About four months," Rapunzel said. She glanced over at him, a question in her eyes. He knew she was wondering about how to tell her mother about the baby. He shrugged and told with his eyes that she should say it however she found best. There was nothing to be ashamed about. Right? "But um…we're going to be a threesome in August."

He watched as their eyebrows went up again and they communicated wordlessly with their eyes. She glanced over at him, looking slightly nervous, but he smiled at her, and squeezed her hand under the table. "Isn't that wonderful?" he said.

He saw the faintest sheen of tears in the Queen's eyes. "I have a daughter and a son, and a coming grandchild all in one day," she said, awed. "It is wonderful news."

He glanced at the King, wondering if he would be angry. Yet he was not. Slightly stunned, obviously , but not angry.

He felt Rapunzel squeeze_ his_ hand under the table and she smiled at him. He received her unspoken message clearly:

_Everything will be all right, Eugene. We're home now. _

He could only hope that she was right.

XxXxXxXx

After dinner, the King approached Eugene and he couldn't help but feel that here was the moment he'd been dreading. "Would you mind coming and speaking with me for a few moments in my office, Eugene?" he asked.

Eugene wondered briefly what the King would say if he declined. But these _were _Rapunzel's parents, and he should make every effort to get along with them. Besides, they were the monarchs after all. "All right." He followed the King to what he presumed was his study.

The King gestured toward the chair. "Have a seat, Eugene."

He sat on the very edge of the seat, feeling just like he had when Mrs. O'Grady called him in for a scolding. "What can I do for you, Your Majesty?" he said politely.

The King gave him a small smile. "You can ease my mind, Eugene," he said, a touch of graveness in his voice.

He was unsure how to respond to that. "Sire?" he said hesitantly. "I am not sure I know what you mean."

The King studied him, and he had a very difficult time sitting still without fidgeting. But he did not have anything to hide. Right? "Can you assure me that your thieving days are over and that you have really changed as my daughter has claimed, Eugene?"

Now he understood everything. "Your majesty," said Eugene. "I have not stolen in months, nor do I want to. I love Rapunzel, and because of her, I am not the same person I once was."

The King was silent, and he desperately wanted to know what he was thinking. But he could not tell anything from his expression. He hoped that his short speech would help his cause. "All right, Eugene," he said at last.

Eugene could scarcely believe his ears. "Um…all right?"

"I believe you," said the King.

"Just like that?" he said dubiously.

The King suddenly laughed heartily. "No, of course not, Eugene," he said. "But as king, I know when someone is lying to me, and you are clearly not."

Eugene exhaled, feeling a heavy burden roll off his back. "No, I am not."

"Good," said the King. He stood up, and Eugene did so as well. "Now, you may go back to your and Rapunzel's room."

The King gave him directions, and he walked there in a small daze. Things were going better than he could even hoped and there was no sign that he would be thrown back in the dungeon. But he soon found the room, and he opened the door, incredibly glad to see Rapunzel again.

Rapunzel was there, sitting on the bed, an anxious look on her face. "What did you and Papa talk about?"

He should have known she would ask first thing. He smiled, deciding to say something vague. "How pretty you are."

She made a face at him, though she giggled quietly. She looked so adorable when she did that. "You did not."

He sat next to her, wrapping an arm around her. "No, we didn't."

"Then what did you talk about?" she said. She looked slightly worried. "You….you won't have to go back to jail will you?"

He kissed her forehead, tightening his arm around her. "No," he said. "The King just wanted to make sure that I have changed, and that I'm good enough for you."

A smile came back to her face. "Well, you are," she said. "There's no doubt about that." She made a gesture toward the room, which he hadn't noticed much until then. From what he could see, it was exceptionally nice- the bed was soft, the room was clean, he could even see a door that could possibly lead out to a balcony. "So…did you like my parents? Do you like our room?" she asked.

He leaned over and kissed her briefly. "Yes and yes."

"Really?"

"Yes," he said. "Of course I do. I'm with you, in a lovely room that totally beats the dungeon by far."

She giggled cutely. "I think so, too. It's way more comfortable."

He laughed now too. "I agree."

She looked at him seriously. "Are you happy, Eugene?"

He took a minute to think about it, because he knew she was asking him a sincere question, and she wasn't being flippant. "Yes, Rapunzel, I'm happy."

And he was. Rapunzel was here, and as long as she was with him, he'd be happy. In the course of his knowing her, his life had become completely intertwined with hers.

And with her, his heart would always be home.

* * *

AN: very sorry again for the long wait. I don't really have an excuse, and so I thank you for your patience. Just so you know, this story is mostly wrapped up except for the epilogue and hopefully i will have that up soon. :)

Emma's Angel: Thanks!

Tangledgirl: thank you!

Italian Princess: wow, thank you very much. I appreciate that :) I'm glad you like it.

Wolfram: well, he wouldn't be Eugene if he didn't do something mornoic and reckless every once and a while now would he? haha. Stupid Fox. I agree. Glad he's coming across as destetable as he's suppposed to.

Sunny: he does. Seriously. But it's cute, so it's all good.

Vlightphase: as you can see, they did, thankfully!

minakou: thanks!

No- my names anonymous: no, he's called Fox because he's...foxy. haha. Sorry, i like naming characters thigns that describe them. lol

Adrilabelle: thanks!

disnerd: I don't know. I have like no ideas for that story. Very sorry. But PM me if you do. :) and I'll see what I can do.

wanderingidealism: because for someone smart, he can be rather reckless sometimes. But it works out for him, luckily.

bluepanda: they're together again :)

jellybelly: thanks!

Umbreon: he should have. haha. You all called it!

hera98: they're all right. Yay!


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